It’s here. History will be made in a few short hours as Atlanta welcomes the World Cup for the very first time as Spain and Cape Verde take the pitch at Mercedes-Benz (aka Atlanta) Stadium.
The Spanish team is one of the clear favorites to have a deep run in the 2026 World Cup, while the island nation of Cape Verde makes their debut in the tournament.
In the rest of Group H containing Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, Spain is the group’s heavyweight, and expectations are sky high for them this summer. Teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal is the headline, despite injury concerns leading into the tournament. After training yesterday at Kennesaw State (a wild sentence), head coach Luis de la Fuente stated that Yamal “is in perfect condition”, however will likely feature off the bench in his first appearance in the World Cup.
Cape Verde, with a population of somewhere near 500,000, brings a lot of energy with them despite the heavy underdog status. A benefit of the expanded tournament, the small nation still earned an automatic qualification by picking up seven wins and staying four points clear of Cameroon in their group. While the mismatch with Spain is still a wide one, it’s not quite the circumstances of Curaçao that we saw yesterday against Germany. In a similar vein though, expect any Cape Verde goal to be a massive celebration.
For more, see our previews of both sides visiting Atlanta today:
Everything you need to know about Spain at the World Cup
What you need to know as Spain plays two World Cup group-stage matches in Atlanta.
Everything you need to know about Cape Verde at the World Cup
The scoop on Cape Verde as it appears in its first World Cup, including a group stage match in Atlanta.
Where to watch Spain vs. Cape Verde
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Kickoff time: Monday, June 15th, 2026, 12 p.m. ET
Available TV/streaming: FOX/FOX One (English); Telemundo/Peacock (Spanish)
As for Atlanta, the first of eight matches to be held here is on June 15, but festivities are happening all across the metro area. Here’s a list of where to watch World Cup action, along with a map.
If you’re headed to Atlanta to see games in person, check out our World Cup guide, which gives you information on where to stay, what to do, see, and eat, along with how to get around using MARTA.
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