Spain’s national football team will begin its 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign Monday against Cape Verde in Group H. The team will be without prominent forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams for the match. No specific reasons were given for their absence from the starting lineup. This initial qualifying match presents an early challenge for Spain as they aim to secure a place in the expanded 48-team tournament. The game against Cape Verde is the first of several qualifying fixtures Spain will play in the coming months. The absence of Yamal and Williams will likely require adjustments to Spain’s attacking strategy. The team hopes to start strong despite the missing players.