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Group H

Spain World Cup 2026 Quarterfinal Route

Spain are through to Match 98. The opener against Cabo Verde finished 0-0, but Luis de la Fuente's side answered with wins over Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Austria and Portugal.

Spain won Group H on seven points, beat Austria 3-0, then beat Portugal 1-0 to reach Match 98 against Belgium.

Updated May 22, 2026. FIFA confirmed the final 26-player World Cup squads on June 2, 2026.

Current World Cup 2026 status

Spain World Cup 2026 status: quarterfinal after Portugal win

Spain won Group H on seven points, beat Austria 3-0 and then beat Portugal 1-0 to reach Match 98.

StatusQuarterfinal - beat PortugalThe next opponent is Belgium, with Match 98 scheduled for SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.Open Match 98 preview
Group position1st in Group H7 pts · 2W-1D-0L · 5-0 goals · GD +5Open group table
Latest resultSpain 1-0 PortugalThe Portugal win turned Spain's clean Round of 32 platform into a confirmed quarterfinal route.Open match recap

Spain did not start with a statement win, but seven points and no defeats still gave them Group H control.

Austria were a runner-up with enough pressure to ask real questions, but Spain answered them much more cleanly than in the group stage.

Match 98 is now fixed as Spain vs Belgium, so Spain's page should be read with the quarterfinal lane nearby.

Spain Final Path

Spain advance to the final

Spain beat France 2-0 in Match 101 and became the first confirmed World Cup 2026 finalist.

Latest ResultFrance 0-2 SpainSpain won Match 101 in Arlington and advanced to the World Cup 2026 final.Latest ResultWhy Portugal 0-1 Spain matteredThe Arlington win moved Spain out of the Round of 16 and into the Belgium quarterfinal.Final OpponentArgentina are nextArgentina will face Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium.Quarterfinal BracketWhere does Match 98 sit?Track the top-half bracket from France 2-0 Morocco into Spain 2-1 Belgium.

Use the France vs Spain match page for the 2-0 semifinal result and the final path against Argentina.

Group facts

Group

Group H

Confederation

UEFA

Opponents

Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

First match

June 15, 2026

Last match

June 26, 2026

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Spain's route now reaches Belgium

Spain's Group H route is complete. They drew Cabo Verde 0-0, beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 and beat Uruguay 1-0 to finish first on seven points, then beat Austria 3-0 and Portugal 1-0.

The next question is no longer group control. It is whether the same possession structure and wide speed can carry Spain through Belgium in Match 98.

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Quick team snapshot

The early shape of Spain's route is simple: Atlanta for the opener and second match, then Guadalajara to close the section.

  • Opening match: June 15, 2026 against Cabo Verde in Atlanta.
  • Atlanta hosts the opener and the second match before the route shifts to Guadalajara.
  • Closing match: June 26, 2026 against Uruguay in Guadalajara.
  • Group-stage window: 11 days from the opener to the closer.

Why the Uruguay result matters

The 1-0 win over Portugal turned Spain's Round of 16 status into a quarterfinal route. It followed the 3-0 Austria win and gives Spain a cleaner knockout trail than the opening group draw suggested.

Spain's group was not perfect, but it was controlled enough: no defeat, seven points, a plus-five goal difference and first place before two knockout wins pushed the route to Belgium.

Coach and outlook

FIFA and RFEF both place Luis de la Fuente at the center of Spain's current cycle. He took over in December 2022 after a successful run with Spain's youth sides and later signed an extension through 2028.

Under him, Spain have kept their possession base while adding more speed and directness in wide areas, which is why the balance between control and incision will be such a big talking point in Group H.

Squad update

Spain had not named an official 26-man World Cup squad as of May 22, 2026. FIFA says the final squad lists become official on June 2, 2026.

FIFA's December 2025 coverage highlighted a core built around Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Pedri, Mikel Merino, Marc Cucurella and Unai Simon, while Dani Carvajal and Rodri were working to be ready in time.

World Cup record

Appearances

17th finals

Best finish

Champions in 2010

World titles

1

Last World Cup

Round of 16 in 2022

Spain return for their 17th World Cup looking to build on the European title won in 2024 and move past the Round-of-16 exit in Qatar. The Portugal result has already moved this run into the quarterfinals.

Spain's control players

These names help explain how Spain build games, protect possession and create chances in tight spaces.

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Related matches

Matches hub: Browse the full fixtures hub

Spain status questions

Quick answers on de la Fuente, Spain's Portugal win, the Belgium quarterfinal and the knockout path.

Who is coaching Spain at World Cup 2026?

Luis de la Fuente is coaching Spain. FIFA's team profile and RFEF's official announcements both place him in charge from December 2022, with RFEF later renewing him through 2028.

Has Spain won the World Cup before?

Yes. Spain won the men's World Cup once, in 2010, and FIFA's 2026 profile frames this cycle as a chance to follow that title with a stronger tournament than the Round-of-16 exit in 2022.

Is Spain's final World Cup 2026 squad official yet?

Spain's final 26-player squad is now official after FIFA's June 2, 2026 confirmation, so roster discussion should now be read as the finalized list rather than current context.

Why is Spain's group-stage route notable?

Spain finished Group H first on seven points after drawing Cabo Verde, beating Saudi Arabia and beating Uruguay. Cabo Verde finished second.

What was Spain's final Group H result?

Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 in Guadalajara to confirm first place in Group H.

Who do Spain play next at World Cup 2026?

Spain play Belgium in Match 98 of the quarterfinals after beating Portugal 1-0.