Spain and Belgium launch World Cup 2026 campaigns while Iran visa row persists
Favorites Spain and Belgium both play their opening matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, facing World Cup debutant Cape Verde and Egypt respectively. Meanwhile, Iran's participation remains clouded by visa restrictions that forced the team to leave staff behind.
Spain begins campaign against debutant Cape Verde
Spain, the reigning European champion and second in the FIFA ranking, will open its 2026 World Cup against Cape Verde at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Coach Luis de la Fuente is expected to manage the workload of his recovering stars: teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who missed the end of the club season with a serious April injury, and Nico Williams are set to start on the bench. Yamal has publicly asked to play, saying he wants to break numerous records scoring with Spain, but the coach prefers caution. The attack will initially rely on Ferran Torres, Oyarzabal and Álex Baena, with a midfield trio of Pedri, Rodri and Fabian Ruiz providing control. Spain plays a 4-3-3 formation.
What made us great is not believing we are greater than anyone else. The hardest thing is convincing a team that has already won.
Cape Verde, an island nation of roughly 530,000 inhabitants, qualified by eliminating Cameroon, and six of its squad members were born in Rotterdam. Striker Dailon Livramento, formerly of Hellas Verona, will lead the line. The team is ranked 68th by FIFA.
Belgium's golden generation begins against Egypt
In Group G, Belgium takes on Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle, with kick-off at 21:00 CET. Coach Rudi Garcia, known for his spells with Roma and Napoli, oversees a squad still packed with talent. Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, both returning from injury-disrupted seasons at Antonio Conte's club, are the figureheads, alongside younger stars Jérémy Doku, Charles De Ketelaere and Leandro Trossard. Egypt, coached by Hossam Hassan, will look to Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush to cause an upset. The match marks Belgium's chance to dispel its "unfulfilled golden generation" label.
Iran's tournament overshadowed by visa dispute
Iran will face New Zealand at 3:00 CET on 16 June, but the build-up has been marred by off-field problems. The United States granted visas only to the players and a limited number of staff, leaving around 15 delegation members unable to enter. The Iranian team has been based in Mexico and must travel to the U.S. solely for match days, returning within 24 hours. The restrictions have drawn attention to the logistical challenges facing the team.
- Spain vs Cape Verde (Group H)
- Belgium vs Egypt (Group G)
- Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay (Group H)
- Iran vs New Zealand (Group G)
Monday's schedule and broadcast details
The day begins with Spain–Cape Verde at 18:00, followed by Belgium–Egypt at 21:00. At midnight, Saudi Arabia faces Uruguay, with the South Americans entering a new era without Luis Suárez, now relying on Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez. Saudi Arabia notably beat Argentina 1-0 in the opening match of the 2022 tournament. In Italy, the entire World Cup is available on DAZN, while state broadcaster Rai carries one match per day free-to-air, including Belgium–Egypt tonight. Other matches, including the late Iran–New Zealand clash, air exclusively on DAZN.
