Spain National Team to Play Final Friendly Before 2026 World Cup Against Peru. Spain concludes its World Cup preparations with a match against Peru in Mexico. The game will take place overnight Spanish time. It will be broadcast on La1 RTVE and streamed online at ABC.
The Spanish national football team takes the field in Mexico for their final friendly match before the start of the 2026 World Cup. On the night of June 8 to 9, Luis de la Fuente's team will face Peru at the Cuauhtémoc Stadium in Puebla. This match will serve as the final test ahead of Spain's debut at the World Cup, which is scheduled for June 15.
After a draw against Iraq in their first warm-up match, where the coaching staff gave opportunities to reserves, changes are expected in the lineup this time. According to Spanish media, Unai Simón from Athletic Club is set to start in goal, while Marcos Llorente, Cubarsí, or Cucurella could appear in defense. In midfield, Rodri, Pedri, Gavi, Merino, Yeremy Pino, and Baena are being considered, and Oyarzabal could feature in attack.
Peru, which missed out on the World Cup after an unsuccessful qualifying campaign, is now building a new team under Brazilian manager Mano Menezes. In recent months, the Peruvians have played three matches: lost to Senegal (2-0), drew with Honduras (2-2), and beat Haiti (1-2). Despite not qualifying for the World Cup, the opponent is seen as a serious test for Spain.
Kick-off is scheduled for 04:00 Spanish time. The match will take place at Cuauhtémoc Stadium, which previously hosted World Cup games in 1970 and 1986. The match will be broadcast live on La1 RTVE and streamed online on the ABC website, where a detailed analysis will be available after the final whistle.
Ahead of the tournament, special attention is paid not only to the squad, but also to the distribution of player numbers. Recently, Spain's national team announced its official squad numbers for the 2026 World Cup, sparking discussion among fans—some key players received unexpected numbers, and the traditional 'number nine' was absent from the roster. Details on the number assignments and reactions to the coaching staff's decisions can be found in the article about Spain's World Cup squad.
For reference: the 2026 World Cup will be held for the first time in three countries—the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Spain enters the tournament as the reigning European champion. The Cuauhtémoc Stadium in Puebla seats over 50,000 spectators and is considered one of the key arenas in Mexican football. Peru has not participated in the World Cup final stage since 2018, while Spain has reached the final tournament without fail since 1978.
