Spain begin their 2026 World Cup campaign against Capo Verde on Monday 15 June 2026 at 18:00 Italian time at Atlanta Stadium in the United States, with the match available in Italy exclusively via DAZN’s live streaming service.
For viewers in Italy this is practical and final: the game will not be shown in clear on Rai, and access requires DAZN as part of the platform’s full tournament package. If you want to watch Spain’s opener you will need a DAZN subscription and the stream at kick‑off.
The fixture is the group-stage opener for both nations and carries contrasting meanings. Spain arrive as reigning European champions, having won the continental final two years ago in Germany against England; for Capo Verde the match is the first World Cup game in their history — a debut that the islands’ football federation will treat as an achievement regardless of qualification math.
Spain’s squad lists several youngsters and creative engines to watch: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Pedri are named among the key talents expected to shape the team’s attack and midfield. On paper Yamal would make his first World Cup appearance against Capo Verde, a milestone the teenager has marched toward since breaking into the senior side.
The availability of Yamal adds immediate uncertainty. He scored for Barcelona against Celta Vigo on 22 April before stopping with a posterior-thigh problem later in the season; Barcelona have since said: "Gli esami hanno confermato che Lamine Yamal ha subito un infortunio al tendine del ginocchio sinistro. Seguirà un trattamento conservativo, salterà il resto della stagione ma dovrebbe essere disponibile per i Mondiali".
That club statement is clear about treatment and intent, but domestic reporting has already offered a more cautious timetable. According to Mundo Deportivo, medical staff at Barcelona and doctors from the Spanish federation agreed Yamal should not play in Spain’s first two matches of the tournament — a recommendation that would rule him out of the opener in Atlanta and the second group fixture.
Capo Verde’s route through the group remains tough on paper. The island nation also face Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in the initial phase, with the third group game against Uruguay provisionally placed later in the schedule around 27 June. For capo verde the priority in Atlanta will be to measure itself against one of Europe’s strongest sides and use the exposure of a World Cup debut to build experience for the squad and the country’s football infrastructure.
There is a practical selection question hidden inside the kickoff details. Spain can deploy fresh attacking options if Yamal is rested, or they can gamble on an early return; the teamsheet Spain submit before the 18:00 Italian-time kick-off will determine which. For Italian viewers, the selection drama will play out live only on DAZN.
What happens next is straightforward: Spain and Capo Verde meet at Atlanta Stadium at the scheduled Monday time and DAZN will carry the match in Italy. The decisive unanswered item before kickoff is Lamine Yamal’s actual match fitness — club tests and public declarations suggest he should be available for the tournament overall, while other medical advice recommends caution for the opening matches. The squad list published by Spain ahead of kickoff will resolve that gap, and DAZN subscribers will be the ones to see how the manager handles it on the pitch.
