Spain vs Cape Verde at 2026 World Cup: Will Lamine Yamal Play?
Manasi Pathak
Euro champions Spain open their 2026 World Cup campaign against debutants Cape Verde in Atlanta on Monday. The teenage star Lamine Yamal may be rested as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Spain – One of the tournament’s top-rated sides, La Roja begin their Group H campaign against Cape Verde at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, USA. The match starts at noon local time (16:00 GMT) on Monday.
Since winning their first World Cup in 2010, Spain have endured three disappointing tournaments: eliminated in the group stage in 2014 and knocked out in the round of 16 in 2018 and 2022.
But victory at Euro 2024, powered by a new golden generation featuring Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi and Ferran Torres, has restored La Roja to the top of the contenders’ list. According to Opta’s supercomputer, Spain have a 15.94% chance of lifting the trophy — the highest of any side — while France sit second at 13.62%.
Spain enter the match on a 30-game unbeaten run, stretching back to a 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia at Wembley in March 2024.
Will Lamine Yamal play? The teenage star who lit up Euro 2024 may have to wait for his World Cup debut. The coaching staff are likely to be cautious with Yamal and Nico Williams, who were both recovering from hamstring injuries in April. Both returned to training on Thursday, but coach De la Fuente may keep them on the bench or leave them out of the squad altogether.
Cape Verde – Making their first World Cup appearance, the African side arrive as one of the continent’s ten representatives. With a population of fewer than 600,000, Cape Verde become the third smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup, after Iceland (2018) and Curacao (2026). The achievement is especially poignant as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence from Portugal.
The team showed its quality at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the quarter-finals on their debut. Cape Verde’s key players currently ply their trade in Portugal, the Netherlands and the United States.
Prediction: According to Opta data, Spain have an 87.2% chance of winning, Cape Verde just 4.8%, with a draw at 8.15%. Overall, Spain have a 76.53% chance of topping Group H, which also includes Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
Broadcast channels:
- Spain: LA 1, DAZN Mundial, RTVE Play
- Cape Verde: New World TV, SuperSport
- United Kingdom: ITVX, ITV1, STV Player, STV
- United States: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock
