Spain vs Saudi Arabia Preview: La Roja Seek First World Cup 2026 Victory

Spain will be aiming to secure their first victory of the FIFA World Cup 2026 when they face Saudi Arabia in a crucial Group H encounter on Sunday.

La Roja entered the tournament as one of the favorites but endured a frustrating start, being held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde in their opening match. Luis de la Fuente's side struggled to create clear-cut chances and lacked creativity for much of the contest.

The introduction of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal provided a spark late in the game, and the Barcelona star is expected to play a much bigger role moving forward. Spain know that a win against Saudi Arabia would significantly boost their chances of reaching the Round of 32 and put them in a strong position heading into the final group-stage match.

Spain have endured a difficult run in recent World Cups. They were eliminated in the Round of 16 in both 2018 and 2022, while their 2014 campaign ended in the group stage. As a result, expectations are high for a deeper run this summer.

This will be the second World Cup meeting between Spain and Saudi Arabia. Their previous encounter came in 2006, when Spain secured a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Juanito. Spain have also won both previous friendly meetings between the two nations.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, impressed in their opening match against Uruguay. Georgios Donis' side took the lead through Abdulelah Al Amri before conceding a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw. With all four teams in Group H currently level on one point, the Green Falcons know that another positive result could leave them in an excellent position to qualify for the knockout stages.

Saudi Arabia's best-ever World Cup performance came in 1994 when they reached the Round of 16. However, they were unable to progress beyond the group stage in either 2018 or 2022.

Team News

Spain are expected to make several changes following their disappointing opening performance. Lamine Yamal is likely to be handed a starting role after returning from a hamstring injury, while Nico Williams could also come into the lineup.

Ferran Torres and Gavi may make way as De la Fuente looks to add more attacking threat. Spain have no major injury concerns, although Victor Munoz remains doubtful with a hamstring issue.

Saudi Arabia have a fully fit squad available. Defender Abdulelah Al Amri will be full of confidence after scoring against Uruguay, while captain Salem Al-Dawsari remains the team's biggest attacking threat.

Firas Al Buraikan is expected to lead the line once again as he looks to add to his impressive international goal tally.

Prediction

Spain's quality and attacking talent should ultimately prove too much for Saudi Arabia. The Green Falcons are organized and difficult to break down, but La Roja are expected to improve significantly from their opening performance.

Prediction: Spain 2-0 Saudi Arabia