
27 Mar
Fri
•21:00
Lusail Stadium • Doha
15 Jun
Mon
•12:00
Mercedes-Benz Stadium • Atlanta
21 Jun
Sun
•12:00
Mercedes-Benz Stadium • Atlanta
26 Jun
Fri
•18:00
Estadio Akron • Zapopan
Few national teams represent possession football as well as Spain. Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, La Roja present themselves as a very recognisable unit, capable of combining their classic passing game with more verticality and tempo. They arrive boosted by their recent successes and by a young group that has already shown personality on big stages. Among the fans, the feeling is clear: this is a team that is fun to watch and, at the same time, a serious contender to fight for the title.
Their World Cup history blends decades of regular participation with the huge leap made in 2010. After years of being seen as “eternal underachievers”, Spain were crowned world champions in South Africa, capping off a unique cycle in which they won Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012. Since then, they have almost always reached the latter stages, with some group-stage setbacks that served as a warning, but maintaining their status as a powerhouse firmly anchored in the global elite.
The star names help explain that historical weight. Players such as Iker Casillas, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Ramos and David Villa built the golden era that changed the national team’s history. Today, the torch is carried by players like Pedri, Gavi and Rodri, who bring quality, tempo and personality to the midfield. Together they embody the idea of a Spain that still wants to dominate the ball but knows how to adapt to more physical, end-to-end matches.
For analysts and specialist media, Spain start the tournament as one of the big favourites and a clear candidate to top Group H. The draw has paired them with opponents of very different profiles, in a group considered demanding but manageable for a top seed of this level. The general feeling is that, if they maintain their competitive standards, they should impose their superiority from the first game. These are their opponents:
Spain’s minimum target is to secure qualification for the knockouts as group winners, avoiding last-minute scares and unnecessarily complicated ties. The coaching staff’s idea is to reach the Round of 16 with the job done, solid feelings and a fresh squad, so that from then on La Roja can unleash their full potential and stay in the race for the title until the very end.