Lamine Yamal
The generational talent of this Spain side. The Barcelona winger lit up Euro 2024 as a teenager and is the player opponents will plan around first, even after a late-season injury scare.
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Team Guide · 2026 World Cup
Spain at the 2026 World Cup
Spain arrive at the 2026 World Cup as European champions and among the favourites for the trophy, with Luis de la Fuente trusting the 4-3-3 that swept Euro 2024. The 26-man squad runs through a Barcelona core: Lamine Yamal and Pedri in front of captain Rodri, with the eye-catching detail that, for the first time since 1950, there is no Real Madrid player in the group. They land in Group H with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. This is the squad by position, the group, the fixtures and the case for La Roja in North America.
1
World Cup Title
26
The Squad
H
Group
2024
Euro Champions
Squad confirmed. Luis de la Fuente named Spain's 26 on 25 May 2026. The headline detail: no Real Madrid players for the first time since 1950, with the squad built around a Barcelona core. Lamine Yamal is included despite a late-season injury, Gavi returns, and Rodri keeps the captaincy. Spain open against Cape Verde on 15 June in Atlanta.
The Key Players
The spine of de la Fuente's Spain
Spain's 2026 squad is young, technical and built on the Euro 2024 blueprint. These are the names the tournament will turn on.
Pedri
The midfield maestro. The Barcelona playmaker sets Spain's rhythm and rarely gives the ball away, and when he and Lamine Yamal are in tune the whole side flows through them.
Rodri
The captain and Ballon d'Or winner. Back to full fitness after a serious knee injury, the Manchester City anchor reads the game from deep and protects the back four better than almost anyone in world football.
Nico Williams
The pace on the other flank. The Athletic Club winger gives Spain a direct, frightening threat down the left and stretches defences that try to crowd Lamine Yamal.
Mikel Oyarzabal
The man who scored the Euro 2024 final winner. The Real Sociedad forward is a reliable, intelligent presence in the box and a leader in a squad that leans young elsewhere.
Unai Simon
The established number one. The Athletic Club goalkeeper has been first choice through Spain's recent run of success, with David Raya and Joan Garcia providing high-level cover.
The 26
Spain's squad by position
Here is Spain's confirmed 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup as named by Luis de la Fuente: three goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and eight forwards. Rodri is captain, and the squad contains no Real Madrid players. Clubs are shown for each name.
Goalkeepers
3 in the squad
- Unai SimónAthletic Club
- David RayaArsenal
- Joan GarcíaBarcelona
Defenders
8 in the squad
- Marc CucurellaChelsea
- Alejandro GrimaldoLeverkusen
- Pau CubarsíBarcelona
- Aymeric LaporteAthletic Club
- Marc PubillAtlético
- Eric GarcíaBarcelona
- Marcos LlorenteAtlético
- Pedro PorroTottenham
Midfielders
7 in the squad
- RodriCaptain
- PedriBarcelona
- Fabián RuizPSG
- Martín ZubimendiArsenal
- GaviBarcelona
- Álex BaenaAtlético
- Mikel MerinoArsenal
Forwards
8 in the squad
- Lamine YamalBarcelona
- Nico WilliamsAthletic Club
- Mikel OyarzabalReal Sociedad
- Dani OlmoBarcelona
- Ferran TorresBarcelona
- Yéremy PinoCrystal Palace
- Borja IglesiasCelta Vigo
- Víctor MuñozOsasuna
Rodri can be deployed as the deepest midfielder with Pedri and Zubimendi or Fabian Ruiz alongside him, and the front line is unusually deep, with Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo and Oyarzabal all capable of starting. The Barcelona presence is striking: a large block of the squad comes from the Catalan club.
Left at Home
The notable omissions
With Spain's depth, a squad of 26 was always going to leave out serious names. The most-discussed theme was geographic rather than individual.
No Real Madrid players
The headline of the squad. For the first time since 1950, Spain travel to a World Cup without a single Real Madrid player, a statistical quirk that became the main talking point of de la Fuente's selection.
Dean Huijsen
The most notable individual casualty of the no-Madrid picture. The young centre-back, who joined Real Madrid, misses out as de la Fuente settles on Cubarsi, Laporte and Eric Garcia in central defence.
A crowded attack
With eight forwards selected, several in-form wide players and strikers from across La Liga and Europe missed the final cut, a reflection of how deep Spain's attacking pool has become.
Group H
The group and the fixtures
Spain were drawn into Group H with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Cape Verde are tournament debutants, Saudi Arabia will look to spring a surprise, and Uruguay, under Marcelo Bielsa, are the clear danger and the likely rival for top spot. Spain play their first two games in Atlanta before heading to Mexico for the finale.
Spain vs Cape Verde
Mon 15 Jun 2026
Spain vs Saudi Arabia
Sun 21 Jun 2026
Uruguay vs Spain
Fri 26 Jun 2026
The first two matches kick off at noon local time in Atlanta, with the Guadalajara finale an evening game. For the full picture of all 104 games, see the WorldCuply.com match schedule, and read about the seeds in our guide to the 12 Pot 1 nations, where Spain sit alongside the other top seeds.
The Favourites
Can Spain follow Euro 2024 with the World Cup?
Spain have only won the World Cup once, in 2010, but they arrive in 2026 as European champions and one of the teams to beat:
- A proven system. De la Fuente's 4-3-3 dismantled the field at Euro 2024. The pieces are largely the same, a year more experienced, and the style is settled.
- Youth at the heart. Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Pau Cubarsi and Gavi mean Spain can build around a core that should be at its peak for this tournament and the next.
- The Rodri question. So much runs through the captain. If his knee holds up across a long tournament, Spain have a control player few rivals can match; managing his minutes is de la Fuente's defining call.
- Depth in attack. Eight forwards give Spain options to rotate and to change a game from the bench, from Nico Williams and Ferran Torres to Dani Olmo and Oyarzabal.
- The bar is the final. For the European champions, anything short of the latter stages is a disappointment. A winnable-looking Group H should give them a platform, but Uruguay and the knockout draw will test them.
The markets rate Spain at or near the top of the outright betting alongside France, with Brazil and Argentina just behind. The talent and the system are there; the question is whether the young core can carry tournament favouritism all the way to the MetLife final.
Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions
Who is Spain's coach for the 2026 World Cup?
Luis de la Fuente is Spain's head coach for the 2026 World Cup. He took charge in December 2022 and won Euro 2024 in his first major tournament, beating England 2-1 in the Berlin final. He named his 26-man squad for the World Cup on 25 May 2026.
Is Lamine Yamal in Spain's 2026 World Cup squad?
Yes. Lamine Yamal is in Spain's 26 for the 2026 World Cup. The Barcelona winger, a teenager who starred at Euro 2024, was included despite a late-season injury and is the standout creative talent of de la Fuente's squad.
Why are there no Real Madrid players in Spain's 2026 World Cup squad?
For the first time since 1950, Spain's World Cup squad contains no Real Madrid players. De la Fuente picked on form and fit for his system, and the call left out Madrid-based names such as centre-back Dean Huijsen. The selection leans heavily on a Barcelona core instead.
Who is Spain's captain for the 2026 World Cup?
Rodri, the Manchester City and Ballon d'Or winning midfielder, is Spain's captain for the 2026 World Cup. He returned to full fitness in early 2026 after a serious knee injury and anchors the midfield in de la Fuente's 4-3-3.
What group are Spain in at the 2026 World Cup?
Spain are in Group H at the 2026 World Cup, alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Uruguay, coached by Marcelo Bielsa, are seen as the main threat and Spain meet them in the final group game.
What are Spain's group fixtures at the 2026 World Cup?
Spain play Cape Verde on 15 June 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, then Saudi Arabia on 21 June, also in Atlanta, and finally Uruguay on 26 June at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Are Spain favourites to win the 2026 World Cup?
Spain are among the favourites for the 2026 World Cup. As reigning European champions with a deep, young squad, they are rated by the markets alongside France at the top of the outright betting, with Brazil and Argentina just behind.
Has Gavi returned for Spain's 2026 World Cup squad?
Yes. Gavi is back in the Spain squad for the 2026 World Cup after a difficult run with injuries. His recall adds another Barcelona midfielder to a group already built around Pedri, Rodri and Martin Zubimendi.
How many World Cups have Spain won?
Spain have won the World Cup once, in 2010 in South Africa, beating the Netherlands in the final. They are also reigning European champions, having won Euro 2024, and a second world title in 2026 is the target.
Keep Reading
More 2026 World Cup coverage
Spain are one of 48 nations heading to the 2026 World Cup. Explore the rest of the WorldCuply.com guide:
France
Spain's co-favourites: Mbappe, Deschamps' last tournament and France in Group I.
Read the France guide ›England Squad
The team Spain beat in the Euro 2024 final, and Tuchel's official 26 for 2026.
Read the England guide ›Superstars to Watch
The top 12 players going to the 2026 World Cup, including Spain's Lamine Yamal and Rodri.
View the top 12 ›Match Schedule
All 104 fixtures across 16 host cities, with kickoff times you can filter to your team.
Open the schedule ›Sources
Where this page comes from
This guide was hand-written from the following reporting and reference pages, used to confirm Spain's squad, group and fixtures:
• FIFA: Spain squad announcement
• ESPN: Spain World Cup 2026 squad confirmed, Lamine Yamal stars, no Real Madrid players
• Al Jazeera: Yamal in Spain's World Cup squad, but no room for Real Madrid players
• FOX Sports: Spain World Cup 2026 schedule, locations, dates, times
• Wikipedia: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H
• ESPN: Spain World Cup 2026 squad confirmed, Lamine Yamal stars, no Real Madrid players
• Al Jazeera: Yamal in Spain's World Cup squad, but no room for Real Madrid players
• FOX Sports: Spain World Cup 2026 schedule, locations, dates, times
• Wikipedia: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H
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