Spain and Belgium aim for first wins in World Cup group stage as second matchday unfolds
After disappointing draws in their openers, Spain and Belgium enter the second group-stage matches on Sunday with high stakes, while Uruguay and Egypt also look to break deadlocks in Groups H and G.
Shocks on the first matchday
Spain were held to a 0-0 draw by debutants Cape Verde, a result that stunned observers given the Spanish attacking talent of Yamal, Nico Williams and Oyarzabal. Belgium likewise needed a late Romelu Lukaku intervention to force an own goal and salvage a draw against Egypt. Those outcomes have tightened both groups, with every team in Groups G and H sitting on a single point after one game.
Today's crucial fixtures
For the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the second round of group matches begins with high tension. Spain face Saudi Arabia at 18:00 CEST in Atlanta. La Roja coach Luis de la Fuente fields a 4-3-3 with Unai Simón in goal, a midfield of Pedri, Rodri and Fabián Ruiz, and the trident of Yamal, Oyarzabal and Nico Williams. Saudi Arabia, who held Uruguay to a draw, will line up in a compact 5-3-2 featuring former Roma full-back Saud Abdulhamid.
At 21:00 CEST, Belgium take on Iran in Los Angeles. Kevin De Bruyne's side, still adjusting after the late equaliser against Egypt, must find a way past an Iranian team that also drew their opener against New Zealand. Both matches are broadcast live by Rai 1 for the prime-time slot (Belgium-Iran) and on DAZN for all encounters.
The full Sunday schedule
Today's programme opens with earlier games: Ecuador-Curacao at 2:00 and Tunisia-Japan at 6:00, both streamed by DAZN. The later window, after midnight, features Uruguay facing Cape Verde at 0:00 (22 June) and New Zealand against Egypt at 3:00, also on DAZN. Uruguayan coach Marcelo Bielsa is expected to rework his midfield trio of Valverde, Ugarte and Bentancur to unlock a Cape Verde side that frustrated Spain thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Vozinha.
- Ecuador vs Curacao (Group E)
- Tunisia vs Japan (Group F)
- Spain vs Saudi Arabia (Group H)
- Belgium vs Iran (Group G)
- Uruguay vs Cape Verde (Group H)
- New Zealand vs Egypt (Group G)
What's at stake
Group H remains the tightest, with all four teams level on one point. Spain must win to avoid a nerve-shredding final match against Uruguay, described in Italian press as the "partita del terrore." Belgium's situation in Group G is equally delicate: a failure to beat Iran would leave them in danger before the third round. Both European heavyweights are aware that early exits are not an option, and the pressure is evident in the line-ups. Broadcasters Rai and DAZN expect large audiences, with Rai 1 opting for the Belgian fixture in prime time, leaving the Spanish match to the streaming platform's coverage by Riccardo Mancini and Emanuele Giaccherini.
