Luis de la Fuente officially announced Spain’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, May 25, at 12:30 PM CET at Espacio Movistar inside the iconic Edificio Telefónica on Gran Vía, Madrid. After weeks of injury anxiety, selection debates, and speculation, the wait is finally over.
Spain arrive in North America as European champions, the second FIFA-ranked team in the world, and one of the genuine favourites to win the entire tournament. But make no mistake — the road to glory is already complicated.
A hamstring injury to teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, the confirmed absence of Fermín López in the opening match, and growing concerns around Nico Williams mean De la Fuente must navigate his strongest-ever squad through some of the most difficult injury news La Roja have faced before a major tournament.
Here is everything you need to know about Spain’s official FIFA World Cup 2026 squad.
Spain’s Final 26-Man Squad for FIFA World Cup 2026
La Roja squad for the 2026 World Cup, and the footballing world is paying attention. For the first time, there are no Real Madrid players, and Lamine Yamal is set to make his competitive debut. Luis de la Fuente’s final 26-man roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, officially announced on May 25, 2026:
- Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Club), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona)
- Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham)
- Midfielders: Pedri (Barcelona), Fabian Ruiz (PSG), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Gavi (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid), Mikel Merino (Arsenal)
- Forwards: Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Club), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo), Victor Munoz (Osasuna), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
The Announcement: Madrid Waits, The World Watches

The squad reveal takes place at Espacio Movistar inside the Edificio Telefónica on Gran Vía 28 in Madrid — one of the Spanish capital’s most iconic landmarks.
De la Fuente will address the media immediately after the announcement, where key selection decisions and injury updates will be discussed.
In the roster for the June 4 friendly matches in the June window against Iraq at Estadio de Riazor. Because several main-squad players were rested or nursing minor injuries, the coaching staff called up young prospects to complete the squad. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Ferran Torres scoring for Spain and Merchas Doski equalizing for Iraq.
After the Iraq friendly, Spain then faces Peru on June 8 at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, Mexico — a perfect dress rehearsal on North American soil before the World Cup begins.
Spain’s World Cup training camp begins on Saturday, May 30, at the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas — the national team’s base outside Madrid — with players expected to report from 5 PM onwards.
- Captain: Álvaro Morata
- Manager: Luis de la Fuente
- World Cup appearances (including 2026): 17
- Best World Cup result: Winners (2010)
- World Cup Groups: Group H
The Injury Crisis: Spain’s Biggest Selection Headache
Before a single ball has been kicked at the 2026 World Cup, Spain’s squad announcement has been dominated by one word — injuries. And the scale of the problem is genuinely alarming.
Lamine Yamal: Race Against Time
The biggest question hanging over Spain’s entire World Cup campaign is whether Lamine Yamal will be ready. The 18-year-old Barcelona forward — already considered one of the best players in the world — suffered a hamstring injury during Barcelona’s 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo, sending shockwaves through Spanish football.
The latest reports suggest Yamal will miss at least Spain’s opening group game and could also be unavailable for the second group fixture. The most optimistic reading of his recovery timeline has him available for the Uruguay match in the final round of the group stage.
A more conservative reading has him ready for the Round of 32 — and De la Fuente has strongly hinted at exactly this scenario, speaking publicly about certain players arriving “just right” and being “decisive in the knockout rounds.”
Yamal is expected to be included in the squad regardless — the FIFA rules allow for late replacements up to 24 hours before a team’s first match, giving De la Fuente every opportunity to manage his recovery without wasting a squad spot.
When Yamal is on the pitch, Spain’s entire system breathes differently. His ability to carry the ball through tight lines, attract two markers, and still find the exit pass is what creates space for Pedri and the central midfielders to operate. Without him, De la Fuente has a major problem to solve.
Fermín López: Confirmed Out
On Monday morning — hours before the squad announcement — Barcelona confirmed the devastating news that Fermín López has fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot and requires surgery. He is ruled out of the tournament entirely.
The midfielder was set to be one of De la Fuente’s central midfield engines, and his absence creates a real problem for squad depth in the middle of the park.
Nico Williams: Serious Doubt
Spain’s other electric wide option, Nico Williams, is managing his own hamstring concern heading into squad selection. The Athletic Bilbao winger has suffered a fresh injury setback in recent weeks, and his fitness for the start of the tournament remains genuinely uncertain. If both Yamal and Williams miss the opening games, Spain’s attacking width disappears almost entirely.
Dani Carvajal: The End of an Era
Dani Carvajal’s fractured toe has ended his World Cup hopes before a ball has been kicked. The Real Madrid right-back was one of the most decorated defenders of his generation and a cornerstone of Spain’s system for a decade. His absence represents not just a tactical loss but the end of an era for La Roja’s defence.
Key Players to Watch at the Spain World Cup 2026 Squad

Rodri — The Ballon d’Or Returns
If there is one piece of good news amid the injury chaos, it is this — Rodri is back. The Manchester City midfielder and 2024 Ballon d’Or winner missed almost the entirety of the 2024-25 club season through injury. But he has returned to full fitness and is expected to be the first name on De la Fuente’s team sheet.
Rodri is not just Spain’s best player — he is the spine around which everything else is organised. His ability to screen the defence, control possession, and dictate tempo is unlike any other player in the world. Without him, Spain look ordinary. With him, they look unstoppable. His return to fitness might be the most important development in Spain’s entire World Cup campaign.
Lamine Yamal — The Teenage Phenomenon
Even with the injury concern, Yamal’s name is the first most fans look for on any Spain squad list. At just 18, he is already one of the most exciting players on the planet. His performances at Euro 2024 — where he created chances, scored stunning goals, and dragged Spain past opponents with individual brilliance — announced him to the world. A fit Yamal in the knockout rounds of this World Cup would give Spain a dimension no other team can match.
Pedri — The Creative Heart
Barcelona’s Pedri is arguably the most complete central midfielder of his generation. At 23, he is already a Champions League winner and a player who has been compared to Andrés Iniesta since the age of 17. Pedri’s ability to find pockets of space, play incisive through-balls, and maintain possession under extreme pressure is the foundation of Spain’s attacking play when Yamal is unavailable. He will be the conductor of Spain’s midfield orchestra throughout the tournament.
Dani Olmo — The Versatile Genius
Barcelona’s Dani Olmo is one of the most versatile and dangerous players in Spain’s entire squad. Capable of operating as a number 10, a wide forward, or a central midfielder — Olmo gives De la Fuente tactical flexibility that most coaches can only dream of. His performances for both club and country have been exceptional, and at 26, he arrives at his first World Cup in the form of his life.
Martín Zubimendi — The New Midfield Cornerstone
Arsenal’s Martín Zubimendi is the defensive midfielder De la Fuente trusts to cover for Rodri when needed. Calm, technically excellent, and tactically disciplined — Zubimendi has developed into one of Europe’s most reliable midfielders at the Emirates. His importance to the squad has grown enormously since Fermín López’s injury confirmation.
Mikel Oyarzabal — The Clinical Finisher
Real Sociedad’s Oyarzabal is Spain’s most reliable striker at this tournament. The man who scored the winning goal in the Euro 2024 final against England brings ice-cool finishing, intelligent movement, and the big-game temperament that separates good strikers from great ones. He will lead Spain’s attack in the early stages while Yamal recovers.
Pau Cubarsí — The 18-Year-Old Defender
At just 18, Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí is one of the most remarkable stories in modern football. Already a Champions League winner and a regular starter for one of the world’s best club sides, the teenage centre-back brings composure and ball-playing ability that belies his age. At this World Cup, he could establish himself as the best young defender in the game.
Spain’s Starting XI — De la Fuente’s First Choice
Based on their current fitness and form, here’s the expected lineup for Spain:
🥅 David Raya (Arsenal)
🔴 Marcos Llorente | Pau Cubarsí | Aymeric Laporte | Marc Cucurella
🟡 Rodri | Martín Zubimendi
🔴 Dani Olmo | Pedri | Nico Williams / Alex Baena
⚪ Mikel Oyarzabal
(Lamine Yamal returns to right wing as soon as fitness allows — likely from the Uruguay group game or the Round of 32.)
Spain’s World Cup History: Hungry for a Second Title
Spain won the FIFA World Cup for the first and only time in 2010 in South Africa, defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time through Andrés Iniesta’s iconic goal. That victory completed an unprecedented treble of trophies — Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, Euro 2012 — a golden era of Spanish football that will never be forgotten.
Since then, Spain’s World Cup record has been disappointing relative to their talent:
- 2014 (Brazil): Defending champions eliminated in the group stage — the most shocking exit of the entire tournament.
- 2018 (Russia): Round of 16 elimination on penalties against the host nation, Russia.
- 2022 (Qatar): Quarter-final elimination on penalties against Morocco.
Now, as Euro 2024 champions and the world’s second-ranked side, Spain arrive with a Spain World Cup 2026 Squad that is arguably more talented than the 2010 vintage. The goal is not just to win the World Cup — it is to claim their place as the greatest Spanish generation of all time.
Spain’s Group H Fixtures — FIFA World Cup 2026

Spain have been drawn into Group H — a manageable but deceptive group that must be approached carefully:
🇪🇸 Spain vs 🇨🇻 Cape Verde — June 15, 2026 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
🇪🇸 Spain vs 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia — June 21, 2026 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
🇺🇾 Uruguay vs 🇪🇸 Spain — June 26, 2026 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida
Spain will be based in Chattanooga, Tennessee during the group stage — a quiet, focused environment well away from the media circus of the major host cities.
The opener against Cape Verde is the perfect scenario for Spain to settle into the tournament and build momentum — even without Yamal. Saudi Arabia, who famously beat Argentina 2-1 at the 2022 World Cup, represent a genuine upset threat that De la Fuente will refuse to underestimate. And the final group game against Uruguay could be a defining clash — particularly if Yamal makes his tournament debut from the bench with the World Cup’s knockout rounds just a win away.
Can Spain Win Their Second World Cup?
The Spain World Cup 2026 Squad De la Fuente has assembled is genuinely historic in its depth and quality. The goalkeeping options — David Raya, Unai Simón, Joan García — are among the best in the tournament. The defensive line, led by Cubarsí and Laporte, is elite.
The midfield — Rodri, Pedri, Zubimendi, Olmo, Gavi, Fabian Ruiz, Merino — is perhaps the deepest in world football. And the attack, even without a fully fit Yamal and Williams, has more than enough quality to trouble any team on the planet.
Spain conceded just 8 goals across 14 qualifying matches — a defensive record bettered by very few sides in European history. Their pressing system, tactical flexibility, and collective spirit under De la Fuente has turned La Roja into something genuinely special.
The injuries are real. The concerns are legitimate. But when you look at the talent available to Luis de la Fuente from first name to 26th, Spain is not just a contender. They are favourites to win the title.
- Reigning Championship Pedigree: Winning Euro 2024 proved this squad can handle tournament pressure and defeat elite global competition.
- World-Class Young Core: Anchored by superstars like Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, Spain boasts a dynamic, unpredictable wing attack that terrifies defenses.
- Tactical Flexibility: Unlike older squads that relied exclusively on tiki-taka, this iteration of Spain can counter-attack quickly or press aggressively high up the pitch.
La Roja are ready. The second star beckons.
When was Spain’s World Cup 2026 squad officially announced?
Luis de la Fuente announced the official 26-man squad on Monday May 25, 2026, at 12:30 PM CET at Espacio Movistar, Gran Vía 28, Madrid.
Is Lamine Yamal in Spain’s World Cup 2026 squad?
Yes. Despite a hamstring injury, Yamal is expected to be included in the squad. He may miss Spain’s first one or two group games but is targeting a return for the knockout rounds.
Is Fermín López in Spain’s World Cup squad?
No. Barcelona confirmed on May 25 that Fermín López has fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot and requires surgery — ruling him out of the tournament entirely.
Who is Spain’s coach for the 2026 World Cup?
Luis de la Fuente, who also led Spain to the Euro 2024 title — their fourth European Championship.
Which group is Spain in at the 2026 World Cup?
Spain are in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay.
When does Spain play their first 2026 World Cup match?
Spain open their campaign against Cape Verde on June 15, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Has Spain ever won the FIFA World Cup?
Yes — once. Spain won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time.
Who are Spain’s warm-up opponents before the World Cup?
Spain play Iraq on June 4 at Estadio de Riazor, and Peru on June 8 at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, Mexico.


GAVI,FERMIN,FERRAN,SHOULD BE INCLOUDED