Spain's national football team has been placed in Group H of the 2026 World Cup alongside Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, and Uruguay, opponents seen as manageable for the current European champions. The draw, held in Washington, smooths the path for La Roja to the knockout stage. Topping the group would avoid early clashes with powerhouses like Argentina.
The group stage draw for the 2026 World Cup, held in Washington on December 5, 2025, has delivered a favorable group for Spain. La Roja, coached by Luis de la Fuente and ranked number one by FIFA, shares Group H with Saudi Arabia, debutant Cape Verde, and Uruguay. None of these opponents pose a direct threat to the hierarchy of the recent Euro champions.
The provisional schedule places Spain's debut on June 15, 2026, against Cape Verde at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami or Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The second match, on June 21, will be against Saudi Arabia at one of those East Coast venues. The group stage closes on June 26 against Uruguay at NRG Stadium in Houston or Estadio Chivas in Guadalajara, requiring a trip west.
Cape Verde, the second smallest nation by population to reach a World Cup after Iceland in 2018, topped its African group with seven wins, two draws, and one loss. Led by Ryan Mendes (Igdir FK) and Dailon Rocha Livramento (Casa Pia), it is coached by Bubista, a former Badajoz player. Saudi Arabia, under Hervé Renard—who stunned by beating Argentina in the Qatar 2022 opener—, contests its sixth World Cup, though without the momentum of that time after a coaching change.
Uruguay, the most experienced rival, has an intimidating history but has never beaten Spain in ten encounters. Marcelo Bielsa's Celeste finished fourth in South American qualifiers and suffered a 5-1 loss to the United States recently, reigniting internal tensions. "We hope the problems between the players and the coach get solved," urged Diego Forlán, Ballon d'Or winner in the 2010 World Cup that Spain claimed. Bielsa stated: "I have the same strength from day one to stay with the Uruguayan team until the World Cup".
In the round of 16, Group H crosses with Group J, featuring Argentina, Austria, Algeria, and Jordan. If Spain and Argentina top their groups, they would not meet until a potential final, as both are seeded. From the 12 groups, the top two plus the eight best third-placed teams advance in the expanded 48-team tournament across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.