Schedule and where to watch Spain vs. Cape Verde at the 2026 World Cup: what time does Lamine and Pedri’s La Roja play, stadium, and possible lineups

Spain kicks off its World Cup campaign in Group H against debutant Cape Verde, with eight Barça players called up to lead the charge toward the Round of 16.

Media Manager

· June 13, 2026

For Barça fans, this World Cup has a special flavor. Spain debuts in the 2026 tournament as one of the top favorites and does so with a Barça presence rarely seen before: Luis de la Fuente has called up eight Barça players, led by Lamine Yamal, alongside Pedri, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Eric García, and Joan García. The opener comes in Group H against Cape Verde, which will be playing in its first World Cup after a historic qualification in which it edged out Cameroon.

It’s the first matchday of the group stage, so the reigning European champions and the African debutants head into the match without having played a single game in this phase yet. For Barça, the focus is on the injury report: Lamine Yamal is dealing with muscle soreness, though the coach hopes to have him available for the debut in Atlanta. Another Barça player who won’t be there is Fermín López, who is confirmed out for the opening match. Cape Verde, for its part, is fielding nearly the entire core that secured the qualification.

What time does Spain play against Cape Verde?

The match is scheduled for Monday, June 15, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in Spain (peninsular time). As it is a national team match, it will be broadcast free-to-air on RTVE’s La 1, with coverage also available on RTVE Play and Teledeporte. For those who want the full tournament, DAZN will offer all 104 matches, also accessible through providers like Movistar Plus+. It’s a good idea to check your signal the day before, especially if you’re watching on your phone.

The stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

The match will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a 71,000-seat arena that opened in 2017. Home to Atlanta United and the NFL’s Falcons, it boasts a unique petal-shaped retractable roof and a 360-degree circular video screen that wraps around the entire stadium.

Possible lineups

Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simón; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri, Fabián Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Nico Williams.

Cape Verde (4-3-3): Vozinha; Wagner Pina, Roberto Lopes ‘Pico’, Logan Costa, Sidny Lopes Cabral; Kevin Pina, Jamiro Monteiro, Telmo Arcanjo; Jovane Cabral, Ryan Mendes, Willy Semedo.