Spain and Cabo Verde have never faced each other before, and their first-ever meeting in Group H at the 2026 World Cup presents a daunting challenge for the West African nation.World Cup winner and reigning European champion versus World Cup debutant. One of international soccer’s traditional powerhouses against one of the tournament’s newest arrivals. A squad packed with world-class talent versus a team featuring players many casual fans may be unfamiliar with. Second in the FIFA World Rankings versus 67th.On paper, the gulf between the two sides is significant. That said, Spain does not arrive in perfect form. In its final three friendlies before the tournament, La Roja was held to draws by both Egypt and Iraq before eventually returning to winning ways with a 3–1 victory over Peru.Cabo Verde, meanwhile, heads into its World Cup debut full of confidence. The Blue Sharks followed up qualification with impressive 3–0 wins over both Serbia and Bermuda, results that have only strengthened belief within the squad ahead of the biggest challenge in the nation’s soccer history.Live Match TrackerMatch MomentumMatch StatsLineupsMatch SummaryREAD THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow