Spain, the reigning European champions, begin their 2026 World Cup campaign against debutants Cape Verde on Monday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for 12:00 local time (16:00 GMT).

La Roja are on a 30-match unbeaten run since a friendly loss to Colombia in March 2024. With a new golden generation featuring Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, and Ferran Torres, Spain are among the top favorites. Opta's supercomputer gives them a 15.94% probability of winning the title.

However, Spain may be without star wingers Yamal and Nico Williams, both recovering from hamstring injuries sustained in April. They returned to training but coach Luis de la Fuente might keep them on the bench or out of the squad entirely to ensure full fitness.

Cape Verde, an archipelago of 10 islands with fewer than 600,000 inhabitants, makes its World Cup debut. The team qualified for the first time, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of independence from Portugal. They previously reached the AFCON quarterfinals in 2013.

Statistical models heavily favor Spain with an 87.2% win probability, while Cape Verde has just 4.8% and a draw 8.15%. Spain are also favorites to win Group H (76.53% chance), which includes Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

Source: www.aljazeera.com