Uruguay - Spain / 2026 FIFA World Cup

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the Uruguay vs. Spain match in Group H of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, which can also be watched live on JOJ play, kicks off at 02:00 CET.

After two surprising draws, the South Americans from Uruguay are on the brink of elimination from the World Cup group stage. Their final match presents a formidable challenge against a remarkably strong Spain, and a draw will most likely not be enough to keep their qualification hopes alive. "La Celeste" made things incredibly difficult for themselves in their first two outings, despite entering them as clear paper favorites.

Their declining form was already evident in their last four warm-up matches before the tournament. Besides a heavy 1-5 defeat to the USA, they recorded three draws, including fixtures against Mexico and England. Unfortunately, this unfavorable trend continued in their opening match against Saudi Arabia, where, after a sluggish first half and overwhelming dominance in the second, they only managed a 1-1 equalizer.

Their second match against Cape Verde had a completely different, yet equally frustrating, narrative. Although they conceded first again, they managed to swiftly turn the score in their favor by the end of the initial 45 minutes. However, the equalizer came in the 60th minute, making it 2-2, and when attacking talisman Maximiliano Araujo's goal was disallowed for offside, another upset against them was sealed. For the third time, they will now have to try and create an upset themselves, this time at the expense of a European giant.

The representatives from the Iberian Peninsula also didn't start the World Cup ideally, unexpectedly dropping points in their opening match against Cape Verde with a goalless draw. As anticipated, they clearly dominated on the pitch, boasting 74% possession, earning eleven corners, and unleashing 27 shots (seven on target), but their finishing was utterly ineffective.

Six days later, however, they made amends in their clash with Saudi Arabia. They secured a convincing 4-0 victory, with their triumph decided within the first 24 minutes. Mikel Oyarzabal was particularly influential, assisting Lamine Yamal's opening goal and adding two more precise strikes himself. After the break, the Spanish comfortably controlled their lead, with their opponent scoring an own goal and Ferran Torres's strike ultimately being disallowed for a tight offside after VAR intervention. The coach is expected to make slight adjustments, with the swift-footed Nico Williams likely to feature in the starting lineup instead of Baena this time.

The historical head-to-head record clearly favors the European team. These national teams last met in the Confederations Cup, where Spain celebrated a narrow 2-1 victory. They also fared well in earlier friendly matches, only failing to win once in a 2-2 draw back in 1995.