Group H Preview

Group H is the most straightforward group to predict on paper and potentially one of the most entertaining in practice.

Spain arrive as European champions and among the favourites to win the tournament. Uruguay bring one of the most respected coaches in world football and a squad built to make the latter stages.

Saudi Arabia, under a new manager appointed just seven weeks before kick-off, carry the memory of stunning Argentina in Qatar. And Cape Verde make their World Cup debut with belief earned from a remarkable qualification campaign.

World Cup Group H fixtures and where to watch

Fixture	Date	Kick-off (all UK BST)	Venue	Where to Watch
Spain v Cape Verde	June 15	17:00	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	ITV and ITVX
Saudi Arabia v Uruguay	June 15	23:00	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami	ITV and ITVX
Spain v Saudi Arabia	June 21	17:00	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta	BBC and iPlayer
Uruguay v Cape Verde	June 21	23:00	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami	BBC and iPlayer
Saudi Arabia v Cape Verde	June 27	01:00	NRG Stadium, Houston	ITV and ITVX
Uruguay v Spain	June 27	01:00	Estadio Akron, Guadalajara	ITV and ITVX

Here, we take a look at the teams in detail.

---

Spain: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction

Coach: Luis de la Fuente
Qualification: UEFA Group E winners
Best World Cup: Winners (2010)

Spain arrive in North America as one of the most feared attacking sides at the tournament and the team most equipped to go all the way.

Luis de la Fuente guided La Roja to the European Championship title in Germany in 2024, and the squad he has assembled for North America is arguably stronger.

Barcelona dominate the group, with Pedri, Gavi, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Joan Garcia and Dani Olmo all travelling alongside Lamine Yamal.

The decision not to select a Real Madrid player is an historic first, and De la Fuente made no apology for it, insisting he had picked the best players available regardless of their club.

The fitness picture heading into the tournament is one to keep an eye on. Yamal is recovering from a hamstring injury and missed the end of Barcelona’s season.

Nico Williams and Mikel Merino were also carrying knocks at the time of the squad announcement. De la Fuente is confident that all three will be ready for the Cape Verde opener, but also made it clear he would not rush them if there was any risk.

Spain star player: Lamine Yamal’s moment has arrived

De la Fuente has claimed that this is Yamal’s World Cup.

The 18-year-old Barcelona forward is the most gifted young player in the tournament and the focal point of everything Spain do going forward.

When he is fully fit and free to express himself, he is simply unplayable. A World Cup audience awaits the player who has already won a European Championship and two La Liga titles. Whether his hamstring holds up will determine Spain’s success this summer.

Prediction: Spain to win the group with ease

The depth and quality make Spain the most complete side in Group H. The question is not whether they qualify, but how they set themselves up for the knockout rounds.

---

Uruguay: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction

Coach: Marcelo Bielsa
Qualification: CONMEBOL qualifiers
Best World Cup: Winners (1930, 1950)

Uruguay are genuine dark horses for the tournament.

Marcelo Bielsa enters his first World Cup as Uruguay manager after overseeing a qualification campaign that restored belief around La Celeste with his side beating both Brazil and Argentina, ending long winless streaks against their two biggest rivals.

The squad announcement contained two major stories heading into the tournament. Fernando Muslera, at 39 years old, came out of international retirement to travel to his fifth World Cup, setting a Uruguayan record.

His presence between the posts gives Bielsa a goalkeeper with a level of experience few others in the competition can match. The other headline was the omission of Luis Suarez. The legendary striker, also 39 and still active in MLS, was left out entirely despite indicating he was willing to come out of international retirement.

The spine of the squad is built on elite club players. Ronald Araujo anchors the defence at Barcelona, Jose Maria Gimenez alongside him from Atletico Madrid.

Federico Valverde and Manuel Ugarte form a midfield axis that would complement any side in this tournament.

Rodrigo Bentancur adds further quality and experience. Darwin Nunez, now at Al Hilal after three years at Liverpool, leads the attack alongside Giorgian De Arrascaeta and a supporting cast of wide runners.

The concern is goals. Uruguay have historically been difficult to beat rather than free-scoring, and without a prolific striker at his peak, Bielsa must find ways to manufacture chances from a midfield-heavy system.

Uruguay star player: Federico Valverde is the engine

Valverde is Uruguay’s most important player.

The Real Madrid midfielder offers everything Bielsa demands: relentless energy, defensive work rate, technical quality and an eye for goal from deep.

He covers so much ground, breaks up play and arrives late into dangerous areas. When Valverde is at his best, Uruguay are a tricky opponent.

Prediction: Uruguay to qualify in second place

The organisational quality, midfield depth and tournament experience under Bielsa make Uruguay the most likely team to join Spain in the knockout rounds.

The final group game in Guadalajara will be one to watch regardless of where the standings sit.

---

Saudi Arabia: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction

Coach: Georgios Donis
Qualification: AFC qualifiers
Best World Cup: Round of 16 (1994)

Saudi Arabia arrive at their seventh World Cup carrying the memory of one of the biggest upsets in tournament history and a question mark over whether the chaos of the past two months can be overcome in time.

Herve Renard was sacked in April following back-to-back friendly defeats, leaving the Saudi Football Federation to appoint Georgios Donis with just seven weeks until the tournament begins.

The 56-year-old Greek coach, who has previous experience managing in the Saudi Pro League, has named a 26-man squad built almost entirely on domestic talent.

Twenty-five of the 26 players ply their trade in the Pro League. The exception is right-back Saud Abdulhamid, who plays for Lens in Ligue 1 and provides Saudi Arabia with a rare connection to European football’s top level.

The squad is led by captain Salem Al-Dawsari, the Al-Hilal winger with 108 caps who was named 2025 AFC Player of the Year. Firas Al-Buraikan leads the forward line and was the standout goalscorer throughout the qualification campaign. Mohamed Kanno provides control in midfield.

Saudi Arabia famously defeated Argentina in Qatar. They are not here to make up the numbers and will not be taken lightly by anyone in this group.

Saudi Arabia star player: Salem Al-Dawsari carries the burden

Al-Dawsari is the focal point of everything Saudi Arabia do going forward.

The captain brings experience, leadership and genuine quality in one-on-one situations. At 34, this is almost certainly his final World Cup, and he will be motivated to leave a lasting impression.

Prediction: Saudi Arabia to push Cape Verde for third

The opening game against Uruguay is the biggest test. If Saudi Arabia can take something from that match, the final group game against Cape Verde becomes massive.

---

Cape Verde: 2026 World Cup preview, star player, prediction

Coach: Pedro Brito da Rocha
Qualification: CAF qualifiers
Best World Cup: First appearance

Cape Verde’s place at this World Cup is one of the most deserved and one of the most remarkable in the tournament.

The Blue Sharks came through CAF qualifying without losing a match, winning eight and drawing two, keeping clean sheets throughout. They backed that performance up with a statement warm-up result just days before the tournament, defeating Serbia 3-0 in Lisbon.

Kevin Pina, Laros Duarte and Gilson Benchimol all scored. For a nation making its World Cup debut, the confidence in the squad will be sky-high.

Pedro Brito da Rocha has built a side that knows exactly what it is. Cape Verde are organised, aggressive without the ball and difficult to play through in central areas.

The squad contains experienced professionals from across European football. Ryan Mendes, Kenny Rocha Santos and the Tavares family are well-known names in Portuguese football.

The challenge is very clear. Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia represent a significant step up in quality from anything faced in African qualification. A single point from this group would represent an historic achievement. Three or four would be extraordinary.

Cape Verde star player: Laros Duarte provides the spark

Duarte came off the bench to score against Serbia and offers Cape Verde something unpredictable in the final third.

The Puskás Akadémia midfielder has the movement and the finishing instinct to cause problems in tight spaces, and his ability to change a game from the bench gives Cape Verde an option that could prove vital in close matches.

Prediction: A debut to remember for Cape Verde

Taking points from Saudi Arabia is a realistic target and would represent one of the stories of the group stage. Spain and Uruguay are likely to be beyond them, but Cape Verde have earned the right to dream.

---

Predicted World Cup 2026 Group H table

	Wins	Draws	Losses	Points
Spain	3	0	0	9
Uruguay	1	1	1	4
Saudi Arabia	1	0	2	3
Cape Verde	0	1	2	1