Spain will begin their Group H campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Cape Verde on Monday, June 15, in Atlanta [1, 2]. The European champions come into the tournament unbeaten in 30 matches since March 2024, when they last lost 1-0 to Colombia in a friendly at Wembley [1, 2]. Despite a recent penalty shootout loss to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League final after a 2-2 draw following extra time, Spain aim to capture their second World Cup title, having won previously in 2010 in South Africa [1, 2].
Cape Verde will make their World Cup debut in 2026 and are notable as the third smallest country by population to qualify, with fewer than 600,000 inhabitants—following Iceland in 2018 and Curacao in 2026 [1, 2]. Their road to the World Cup included seven wins and just one loss in 10 qualifying matches, highlighted by a significant home victory over Cameroon [1, 2]. The island nation also reached the quarter-finals in their first Africa Cup of Nations appearance in 2013 [1, 2].
Spain could adopt a cautious approach as two promising players, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, are recovering from hamstring injuries sustained in April 2026 and only recently returned to training in early June [1, 2]. Their availability for the opening match remains uncertain.
The Group H opener in Atlanta marks the first World Cup match for Cape Verde and will test Spain's status as European champions with a long unbeaten run entering the tournament. The game kicks off on June 15, setting the tone for the group stage.