Spain's Lamine Yamal arrives before the match against Cape Verde. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Spain will kick off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in Group H against debutant Cape Verde at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia on Monday.

Spain, which is the reigning European champion, will be without its teenage star Lamine Yamal in the starting XI, who only recently passed fit after a groin injury suffered in April.

Yamal, 18, will be on the bench and will likely only find a few minutes in the second period, according to head coach Luis De La Fuente.

FIFA World Cup | Spain vs Cape Verde - LIVE blog

“The good news is that Lamine is very fit,” De la Fuente told ​reporters.

“He’s following the set process, ‌and he’s in good shape, he’s training very well, just like his other colleagues who had some sort of injury. They’re all available, and they won’t be able to play ‌from the start of the match.

“We’ll have to wait and ​see how the game progresses, and then we’ll make a decision on how they can contribute to ⁠the team.

“It’s a matter of logic, of how the game is evolving, the game situation.”

Unai Simon will be Spain’s starting goalkeeper ahead of David Raya, who was part of Arsenal’s Premier League-winning side.

Published on Jun 15, 2026