Several elite teams open their campaigns at the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup on Monday with four games on the docket. Reigning European champion Spain opens the day against debutant Cape Verde in Atlanta. The talented Belgium team then takes on Egypt in Seattle before the action heads to Miami, where two-time champion Uruguay will face Saudi Arabia.
Finally, the day concludes in Los Angeles where two veteran-heavy teams in Iran and New Zealand both have eyes on qualifying for their first World Cup knockout round.
Spain vs. Cape Verde: How To Watch
When: Monday, June 15, 12 p.m. ET
Where: Atlanta
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
Cape Verde could not have asked for a more difficult assignment in its first ever World Cup game when it takes on one of the pre-tournament favorites Spain in Atlanta on Monday.
The tiny island nation off the coast of Africa’s northwest coast has a population of just over 500,000 and was one of the surprises in the CAF qualifying tournament when it convincingly won its group to qualify for the World Cup. During its campaign, Cape Verde went 7-4-1 and finished four points ahead of traditional African powers Cameroon. This was especially surprising given the Blue Sharks’ failure to qualify for the 2025 African Cup of Nations, where it finished last in its qualifying group.
Most of Cape Verde’s team plays in the smaller European leagues. Fullback Sidny Lopes Cabral joined Benfica this year and has already featured for the club’s first team. Captain Ryan Mendes, 36, is by far the national team’s most accomplished player, having scored 22 goals for Cape Verde while also having played for clubs such as Lille or Nottingham Forest.
Only 12 players on the roster were born in Cape Verde. The remaining 14 players were born in countries such as the Netherlands, Portugal, France, and the United States (backup goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos was born in Philadelphia). With an average of 29.3, Cape Verde has one of the oldest teams at the World Cup.
Cape Verde is managed by Pedro Leitão Brito, commonly known as Bubista, who has spent his entire coaching career in Cape Verde. After leading the team to qualification for the World Cup, Bubista was named the 2025 CAF Manager of the Year.
Currently ranked 67th in the latest FIFA rankings, Cape Verde will open against second-ranked Spain.
Lamine Yamal of Spain (Getty Images)
Spain qualified for the World Cup without much problem, topping UEFA Group E over Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Georgia without losing a game. Two years ago, Spain won Euro 2024 with knockout wins over Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands, before defeating England in the final.
Spain is managed by Luis de la Fuente, who took over shortly after the team’s lackluster 2022 World Cup where it lost to Morocco on penalties in the round of 16.
De la Fuente has a lot of firepower at his disposal, including star players Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, who both have been dealing with injuries but who should be ready for Monday’s game. Yamal, 18, is arguably the best teenager in the world (ranked No. 1 in our Top 100 World Cup players) and was the Ballon d’Or runner-up in 2025 after leading Barcelona to the La Liga title.
With a highly competitive midfield consisting of Rodri, Pedri, and Fabián Ruiz, backed by an elite defensive record featuring five clean sheets in their last six competitive games, Spain is going to be very difficult for any team to defeat, let alone a Cape Verde team that is likely just happy to be at the tournament.
Spain vs. Cape Verde: Player to Watch
Forward · Spain
Mikel Oyarzabal: The Real Sociedad forward is de la Fuente’s top striker for good reason. Since the start of 2025, Oyarzabal has 12 goals in 12 games for Spain. In 2024, he scored Spain’s winning goal in its 2-1 victory over England in the final of Euro 2024. Given his form in recent years, he is on the short list of many expert picks to win the Golden Boot at this World Cup. Oyarzabal could start racking up his goals in this game as Cape Verde should have a very difficult time trying to stop him.
Belgium vs. Egypt: How To Watch
When: Monday, June 15, 3 p.m. ET
Where: Seattle
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
The second game on Monday’s docket brings us to Seattle for an intriguing matchup between teams who are widely considered to be the two best in Group G.
Belgium, currently ranked ninth in the FIFA World Rankings, is hoping this tournament will mark the arrival of a promising new generation of players. The Red Devils finished third in 2018 at what was the peak moment of its previous and storied generation.
In 2022, the aging core remained and Belgium failed to get out of the group stage. Euro 2024 was only a marginal improvement with a second-place group finish and an elimination at the hands of France in the first knockout round.
Kevin De Bruyne will have one last shot at World Cup glory. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP via Getty Images)
Belgium’s opponents on Monday are 29th-ranked Egypt, who will return to the World Cup for the fourth time after missing out in 2022. The Pharaohs have never advanced out of the group stage but are favored to do so in this 48-team format.
Coached by Hossam Hassan (who is the Pharaoh’s all-time leading scorer), Egypt went unbeaten in qualifying with an 8-2-0 record and outscored opponents 20-2 and keeping eight clean sheets. At the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, Egypt advanced to the semifinals before losing 1-0 to Senegal.
The top storyline for Egypt at this World Cup is former Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, who celebrates his 34th birthday on this match day. As one of the most successful players in African history, Salah led Egypt with nine goals in qualifying. His 67 international goals are just two behind Hassan’s record of 69.
Belgium vs. Egypt: Player to Watch
Forward · Belgium
Jérémy Doku: The Manchester City winger is one of the most talented players at this World Cup and his speed and dribbling ability should alone make Belgium a difficult team to stop. The Antwerp-born Doku, 24, was influential in World Cup qualifiers this cycle scoring two goals apiece in wins over Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein. At Euro 2024, Belgium only played four games, but Doku completed a tournament-leading 34 dribbles.
This World Cup will be another huge test for Doku as he will try to prove that he is capable of leading Belgium on a run deep into the knockouts.
Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay: How to Watch
When: Monday, June 15, 6 p.m. ET
Where: Miami
TV: FS1
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
Two-time World Cup champion Uruguay comes into this tournament ranked No. 16 in the latest FIFA World Rankings and looking to climb back into the elite levels of world soccer. La Celeste will take its first steps in the tournament on Monday when it takes on Saudi Arabia at Miami Stadium in Group H action.
Uruguay finished fourth in CONMEBOL’s single-table qualifying tournament and benefited by impressive back-to-back wins over Brazil and Argentina to set the tone the rest of the way. It formally clinched its spot in the tournament in the second-to-last match hday with a 3-0 win over Peru.
The friendlies after the World Cup have been up and down for Uruguay as it lost 5-1 to the United States in November but played respectably in draws to England and Algeria in March.
Uruguay is led by Argentine head coach Marcelo Bielsa who will be coaching his third World Cup after leading Argentina in 2002 and Chile in 2010. The Rosario native is one of the most influential soccer managers of this generation, and he has helped bring some defensive structure to Uruguay as it moves on from the great attacking players such as Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani who led the team to so much success the past 20 years.
Federico Valverde of Uruguay is one of the world’s best midfielders. (Photo by Martin Silva Cosentino/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
