Spain kicks off World Cup 2026 against Cape Verde: Yamal and Williams out of starting lineup. The Spanish national team opens their World Cup 2026 campaign with a match against tournament debutants Cape Verde. Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams have missed out on the starting lineup due to injuries. The game is taking place at a stadium in Atlanta.
The Spanish national team kicked off their 2026 World Cup campaign with a match against Cape Verde, making its debut at a tournament of this level. Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams were absent from Spain’s starting lineup—both remained on the bench due to concerns about their physical condition. The match is taking place at a stadium in Atlanta, USA, and is drawing heightened interest from both fans and experts.
Spain’s head coach Luis de la Fuente relied on experienced players: Unai Simón, Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, Pedri, Rodri (captain), and Gavi started the match. According to BBC Sport, the team remains the favorite in its group despite setbacks at recent major tournaments. The Spanish are known for their squad depth and tactical flexibility, which could prove crucial in the long haul of the championship.
Cape Verde, under the guidance of Bubista, is making its World Cup debut and becomes the third least populated country to qualify for the tournament. In goal is 40-year-old Vozinha, who will go down in history as one of the oldest players to appear at a World Cup. Dylon Livramento, the hero of the qualifying match against Cameroon, stands out in attack. The team plays with a 4-2-3-1 formation, emphasizing speed and directness, with creative duties assigned to Jamiro Monteiro.
The atmosphere at the stadium in Atlanta is intense: Cape Verde fans are actively supporting their team, putting additional pressure on the opponent. Among the African squad, Roberto Lopes stands out — until recently he worked in a bank in Dublin, and now he is playing on the world stage. The refereeing team and starting line-ups for both teams were announced in advance, allowing analysts to evaluate possible scenarios ahead of the match.
The Spain vs Cape Verde match became one of the most anticipated events of the first round in Group H. For Cape Verde, this is a chance to repeat the success of Ghana, which in 2006 became the first African team to reach the playoffs in their debut World Cup. As noted by BBC Sport, the spotlight on debutants is especially bright amid growing interest in African football. The Brazil national team found itself in a similar situation, with the coaching staff keeping the intrigue over the starting line-up right up to the last moment — you can read more about this in the article about Ancelotti's decision ahead of the Brazil vs Morocco match.
For reference: Spain won the World Cup in 2010 but has not advanced beyond the Round of 16 since then. Cape Verde is an island country off the west coast of Africa, with a population of no more than 600,000 people. In recent years, African teams have increasingly qualified for major tournaments, reflecting the growth of football on the continent. If Cape Verde performs successfully, it could become the new sensation of world football and inspire other small nations to fight for places in major tournaments.
