Spain vs. Cape Verde, 2026 World Cup: What time does La Roja play, which channel to watch it on, stadium, and probable lineups

La Roja kicks off its World Cup campaign in Group H against debutant Cape Verde: a match in which the team aims to take a firm first step toward the Round of 16.

Media Manager

· June 14, 2026

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Spain kicks off its 2026 World Cup campaign as the heavy favorite and with the pressure to deliver. La Roja, the reigning European champion, makes its debut in Group H against Cape Verde, one of the tournament’s great stories: the Atlantic archipelago will play in its first World Cup after a historic qualification campaign in which it finished ahead of Cameroon. It is the first matchday of the group stage, so both teams enter the opener without having played a single match in this phase yet.

Luis de la Fuente’s squad heads into the match with some fitness concerns. Lamine Yamal is dealing with muscle soreness and has been managed cautiously, though the coach is confident he’ll be available for the opener in Atlanta; Fermín López, on the other hand, is confirmed out for the opening match. On the other side, Bubista arrives with virtually the entire core that secured the qualification, with no major absences to disrupt his plans.

When is the Spain vs. Cape Verde match: date, time, and where to watch

The match takes place on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. (Spanish 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. Those who want full coverage can watch all 104 matches on DAZN, available through providers such as Movistar Plus+. We recommend checking the signal in advance, especially if you plan to watch on your mobile device.

The stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

The venue will be Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with a capacity of about 71,000 spectators. Opened in 2017 and home to Atlanta United and the NFL’s Falcons, it is one of the most spectacular stadiums in the country, recognizable for its petal-shaped retractable roof and its giant 360-degree circular screen.

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.