Spain - Cape Verde / 2026 FIFA World Cup

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the Spain vs. Cape Verde match in Group H of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, also broadcast live on JOJ Šport, kicks off at 6:00 PM CET.

Their seventh qualification attempt in history has finally brought them the coveted reward. The Cape Verde national football team has qualified for the final tournament of the 2026 World Cup, but their opening performance will be a baptism of fire. As absolute debutants, they will challenge the reigning kings of the Old Continent, Spain. For the African team, this is a "great unknown," while the European giant, fresh off their EURO 2024 triumph, is sharpening its teeth for the most prestigious global title.

The African representative didn't start their qualifying campaign ideally, suffering a 1-4 defeat to Cameroon in their opener. However, in the subsequent seven matches, they surprised the footballing public, dropping points only in two draws. This success is even more shocking considering that in the parallel Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Cape Verde completely faltered, finishing last with a meager four points. They made amends in the preparatory period, though. In March, they lost 2-4 to Chile in Auckland, New Zealand (despite leading at halftime, they paid for a red card in the second half), but then drew with Finland and, in their immediate pre-tournament preparations, thrashed Bermuda (3-0) and unexpectedly Serbia (3-0).

Spain, however, belongs to an entirely different weight class, with experts ranking them among the top favorites for the overall gold. The Iberian Peninsula squad consistently delivers dominant performances. While they missed out on the Nations League trophy a year ago, losing to Portugal (2-2) in a penalty shootout in the final, they were rampant again in the autumn qualifiers. They dropped their only two points in the final match against Turkey (2-2), having scored 19 goals and conceded none in the preceding five games.

In March of this year, the Spanish confirmed their form with a 3-0 triumph over Serbia and a goalless draw with Egypt. Although they slightly shocked fans two weeks before the World Cup kick-off with a 1-1 draw against Iraq, four days later in Puebla, Mexico, they clearly demonstrated their strength, giving Peru no chance with a 3-1 victory. Furthermore, it's a huge boost for the team's coach that the elite wing duo of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams have overcome their injury woes at just the right time.

This will be the first-ever encounter between these two nations, and there's no doubt about the favorite.