Spain's 2026 World Cup Squad: European Champions Go for the Double

Spain won Euro 2024 in Berlin and they arrive at the 2026 World Cup in North America as European champions, second in the FIFA world rankings and carrying the kind of squad depth that makes them genuine favourites to lift the trophy at MetLife Stadium on 19 July. They have the best young player in world football in Lamine Yamal. They have Rodri, the Ballon d'Or winner, as captain. They have the most technically composed midfield at any major tournament since their own tiki-taka peak between 2008 and 2012.

The buildup has been complicated by injuries. Yamal suffered a hamstring strain late in Barcelona's season. Nico Williams has had fitness concerns. Mikel Merino has been racing back to full fitness. And in a remarkable first, Spain's squad contains no Real Madrid players for the first time in history — a reflection of Los Blancos' disappointing season as much as anything else. But Spain's strength runs so deep that those complications barely scratch the surface of what Luis de la Fuente has assembled. Here is the full story.

The Group Stage Draw: Group H

Spain are in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. They open against Cape Verde on 15 June in Atlanta, before facing Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. It is a manageable group for the European champions and the expectation is that De la Fuente will use it to bring key players back to fitness and find his best combinations before the knockout rounds begin.

The Full Spain 2026 World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Unai Simon (Athletic Club) — Spain's established first choice and one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga. His shot-stopping, his distribution and his composure in high-pressure situations make him an ideal fit for how De la Fuente wants Spain to play. His saves in penalty shootouts have been crucial in Spain's recent tournament success.

David Raya (Arsenal) — An experienced Premier League goalkeeper whose consistent season at Arsenal earned him a place in the squad. Provides experienced backup to Simon.

Joan Garcia (Barcelona) — The young Barcelona goalkeeper represents the depth of Spanish goalkeeping talent.

Defenders

Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona) — At seventeen, Cubarsi is one of the most composure-in-possession centre-backs in European football. His ability to receive under pressure, his reading of the game and his authority in one-versus-one situations are extraordinary for his age. He has been outstanding for Barcelona in La Liga and the Champions League and goes into his first World Cup as a genuine starter rather than a prospect.

Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club) — The experienced centre-back and former Manchester City defender whose left-footedness gives Spain balance at the back. His reading of the game and his composure in possession are central to how De la Fuente wants Spain to build from the back.

Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) — Spain's first-choice left-back and a player whose tenacious defensive quality and ability to contribute going forward have made him one of the most reliable performers in De la Fuente's system. His career renaissance at Chelsea has been extraordinary.

Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen) — An outstanding left-back option who has been one of the most effective wide defenders in the Bundesliga. His attacking quality and his delivery from wide positions give Spain a genuine threat down the left flank.

Pedro Porro (Tottenham) — Dynamic right-back whose pace and attacking instincts give Spain width and energy on the right side. One of the most direct full-backs in the squad.

Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid) — Versatile and reliable, Llorente gives De la Fuente options across the defensive and midfield positions. His experience at the highest level and his physical quality make him a valuable squad player.

Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid) — Additional defensive depth ensuring Spain have options at centre-back and right-back.

Midfielders

Rodri (Manchester City) — The captain. The Ballon d'Or winner. One of the best midfielders in the world when fully fit, and after a serious knee injury that ruled him out for much of the 2024/25 club season, Rodri returned to full fitness in early 2026. His ability to control the tempo of a game, to protect the defence and to set the rhythm of play from deep makes him arguably Spain's most important individual. When Rodri is commanding the midfield, Spain are the best team in the world. De la Fuente's tactical system is built around what he brings.

Pedri (Barcelona) — One of the most technically gifted midfielders in world football and a player whose combination of technical excellence, intelligent movement and ability to find space that does not appear to exist has made him the spiritual heir to the Xavi and Iniesta tradition. His fitness has been a concern in recent seasons but when fully available he is one of the automatic starters and one of the most creative midfielders at the tournament.

Gavi (Barcelona) — Intensity, pressing, technical quality and an ability to win the ball back immediately when Spain lose possession. Gavi gives De la Fuente's midfield its competitive edge and its willingness to work without the ball. His partnership with Pedri and Rodri is the midfield combination that made Euro 2024 look so straightforward for Spain.

Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal) — One of the best defensive midfielders in La Liga over recent seasons and a player who gives De la Fuente a different option in how he structures the midfield. His composure on the ball, his ability to win possession and his reading of defensive situations make him a valuable alternative to Rodri when the manager wants to rotate or change the system.

Fabian Ruiz (PSG) — A technically accomplished central midfielder whose range of passing and ability to contribute in the attacking phases give Spain another dimension. His performance at Euro 2024 was one of the highlights of Spain's tournament.

Mikel Merino (Arsenal) — Racing back to fitness for the tournament, Merino gives De la Fuente a box-to-box option who can play both sides of the ball and who has been outstanding for Arsenal in the Premier League this season.

Dani Olmo (Barcelona) — One of the most technically accomplished attacking midfielders in Spain's squad and a player whose ability to arrive late into the area and score crucial goals has been a feature of Spain's recent tournament success. His goal in the Euro 2024 final was one of the tournament's defining moments.

Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid) — A creative option from midfield whose technical quality and willingness to drive forward from deeper positions give De la Fuente additional options in how he constructs Spain's attacks.

Forwards

Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) — The most extraordinary young talent in world football. Born in 2007 and already one of the best players on the planet, Yamal goes into the 2026 World Cup having scored in the Euro 2024 semi-final against France at sixteen and been central to Spain's tournament triumph. A hamstring injury in late April cut his Barcelona season short and caused genuine concern about his availability. De la Fuente has confirmed he expects him to be available from the group stage. When fit, Yamal on the right flank is the most frightening individual opponent any defender at this tournament will face.

Nico Williams (Athletic Club) — Yamal's international counterpart on the left flank and one of the most direct, explosive wingers at any World Cup. Williams has had his own fitness concern heading into the tournament but is expected to be available. His partnership with Yamal in the wide positions gave Spain a dynamism and a directness at Euro 2024 that opponents simply could not handle.

Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) — The centre-forward option who gives Spain a technical, intelligent striker comfortable operating as a false nine or a conventional number ten. His movement, his combination play with the wide forwards and his ability to score and create make him central to how De la Fuente sets up Spain in their most attacking formation.

Ferran Torres, Yeremy Pino, Borja Iglesias, Victor Munoz — Additional attacking depth giving De la Fuente options across the forward line and ensuring Spain are not dependent on any single attacking player.

The Big Omissions

Alvaro Morata — The Euro 2024 captain who scored crucial goals throughout Spain's triumph has been dropped. De la Fuente has moved on and the squad reflects his confidence in the options ahead of him. Dani Carvajal has missed out after a difficult season at Real Madrid. Fermin Lopez was ruled out with a fractured metatarsal. Dean Huijsen, who was impressive in Real Madrid's season, was also omitted. For the first time ever, there are no Real Madrid players in a Spain World Cup squad — a fact that reflects Los Blancos' disappointing 2025/26 campaign rather than any statement of intent from the coach.

Can Spain Win Back-to-Back Trophies?

Spain have not won a World Cup knockout match since they lifted the trophy in 2010. They went out in the group stage in 2014, the round of 16 in 2018 and the round of 16 in 2022. Euro 2024 broke that cycle. They played the best football at that tournament by a significant distance and their squad has only developed further since. Rodri fit and commanding the midfield. Yamal and Williams at their explosive best. Pedri, Gavi and Olmo providing the creativity. A goalkeeper in Simon who has proven himself in shootouts.

Spain are the most tactically coherent team at this World Cup. Their system is the clearest, their philosophy the most defined and their best eleven is as good as any other squad in the tournament when everyone is available. The injuries are a concern. Whether Yamal, Williams and Merino all make it to their best form in the tournament's most important matches is the central question. If they do, Spain will be very difficult to beat.

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