Welcome to our live coverage from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where Saudi Arabia face Spain in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H clash. The match kicks off at 19:00 Mecca time.
The line-ups are out!
Saudi Arabia
21 Mohammed Al Owais (GK)
12 Saud Abdulhamid
5 Hassan Al Tambakti
3 Ali Lajami
4 Abdulelah Al Amri
18 Alaa Hejji 60′
24 Moteb Al-Harbi
6 Nasser Al-Dawsari
17 Khalid Al Ghannam 90′
15 Abdullah Al Khaibari
23 Mohamed Kanno 46′
7 Musab Al-Juwayr
19 Abdullah Al Hamdan 46′
10 Salem Al-Dawsari
9 Firas Al-Buraikan
26 Mohamed Abu Al Shamat 60′
Bench: Nawaf Al Aqidi (GK), Ahmed Al Kassar (GK), Ali Majrashi, Ayman Yahya, Saleh Al Shehri, Nawaf Boushal, Hassan Kadesh, Ziyad Al Johani, Sultan Mandash, Marwan Thakri
Spain
23 Unai Simón (GK)
12 Pedro Porro
22 Pau Cubarsí
14 Aymeric Laporte
24 Marc Cucurella
20 Pedri
8 Fabián Ruiz 70′
16 Rodri
19 Lamine Yamal
11 Yeremy Pino 46′
10 Dani Olmo
6 Mikel Merino 61′
15 Álex Baena
17 Nico Williams 61′
21 Mikel Oyarzabal
7 Ferran Torres 46′
Bench: David Raya (GK), Joan García (GK), Marc Pubill, Alejandro Grimaldo, Eric García, Marcos Llorente, Gavi, Martín Zubimendi, Víctor Muñoz, Borja Iglesias
📝 Saudi Arabia boss Georgios Donis makes two changes to the side that started the 1-1 draw against Uruguay, with Ali Lajami coming in as the Green Falcons switch to a back three. Mohamed Kanno and Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat drop out, while Nasser Al Dawsari starts in midfield.
📝 Spain manager Luis de la Fuente makes four changes to his starting lineup after the disappointing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their opening game. Pedro Porro replaces Marcos Llorente at right-back, while the attacking midfield line has been completely reshuffled. Lamine Yamal starts on the right wing, Álex Baena comes in on the left, and Dani Olmo operates through the centre. Fabián Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Gavi are all on the bench.
📝 The only previous World Cup meeting between these two sides came at the 2006 edition in Germany, where Spain won 1-0 thanks to Juanito’s first-half header.
1′ The match kicks off.
📝 No real chances in the opening 10 minutes. Spain have controlled possession and are pressing high in the final third, with Lamine Yamal causing problems on the left. Saudi Arabia’s defence, however, has held firm so far, while the Green Falcons have shown they can threaten on the counter through Moteb Al Harbi and Salem Al Dawsari.
10′ Oyarzabal is given too much space on the left and sends a low cross across the face of goal. Lamine Yamal arrives at the far post for a simple tap-in, scoring his first World Cup goal and giving Spain the lead.
13′ Goalkeeper Mohamed Al Owais makes a crucial intervention, coming out quickly to intercept Lamine Yamal’s pass before it can reach Álex Baena inside the box.
17′ Al Owais did well, diving to his right to keep out Oyarzabal’s long-range effort.
17′ Spain doubles their lead in the 21st minute through Mikel Oyarzabal. Ali Lajami initially did well with a recovery challenge, but Saudi Arabia failed to clear the danger from the resulting corner. Dani Olmo’s effort was blocked inside the area and Oyarzabal reacted quickest, poking the ball home from close range.
21′ Spain doubles their lead through Mikel Oyarzabal. The defence failed to clear the danger from a corner. Dani Olmo’s effort was blocked inside the area and Oyarzabal reacted quickest, poking the ball home from close range.
24′ Oyarzabal strikes again. Pedro Porro delivered a cross from the right, and Marc Cucurella set it up to Dani Olmo who headed it on towards Oyarzabal at the far post, and the striker made no mistake from close range.
25′ Time for the hydration break.
36′ Oyarzabal comes close to completing his hat-trick after a misunderstanding between Al Owais and Al Khaibari. The ball fell to the Spain striker on the left, and his outside-of-the-foot effort struck the crossbar.
36′ Lamine Yamal tries his luck with a left-footed drive from long range, but Al Owais gets behind it and parries the ball away with a firm save.
42′ Lajami and Abdulhamid get in a mix-up and fail to deal with Pedri’s clever backheel pass. The ball falls to Oyarzabal inside the box, but his low shot rolls just wide of the post.
Half-Time It has been one-way traffic in Atlanta, with Spain dominating the opening 45 minutes. Al Owais made a few good saves, but his efforts could not stop the European champions from scoring three before the break. The Green Falcons showed occasional threat on the counter, but their attacks were too rare and too timid to trouble Unai Simón. The will have a lot to fix in the second half.
46′ Donis makes two changes as he tries to change the course of the game. Midfielders Abdullah Al Khaibari and Musab Al Juwayr make way, with the experienced Mohamed Kanno and forward Abdullah Al Hamdan coming on.
46′ A couple of changes too for Spain at the break. De la Fuente takes off Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal, with Yeremy Pino and Ferran Torres coming on.
46′ The second half starts.
49′ Spain make it 4-0. Álex Baena’s corner finds Marc Cucurella at the far post, and his volley is blocked by Al Owais. But the ball rebounds off Tambakti and into the net for an own goal.
53′ Al Owais did well to block Porro’s powerful effort from inside the box after a perfect through ball from Cubarsi.
60′ More changes for Saudi Arabia. Abdulelah Al Amri and Firas Al Buraikan out. Mohamed Abu Al Shamat and Alaa Hejji in.
63′ De la Fuente responds with two changes. Mikel Merino and Nico Williams replace Alex Baena and Dani Olmo.
65′ Merino finds Ferran Torres inside the box, leaving him one-on-one with Al Owais. The Saudi goalkeeper comes out quickly to close the angle, and Ferran pulls his effort wide.
68′ Time for another dehydration break.
81′ The first effort from Saudi Arabia on goal. Abdullah Al Hamdan with a low effort from the edge of the box but it was not strong enough to trouble Unai Simon in goal.
83′ Tambakti almost scored another own goal after deflecting Nico Williams’ cross towards his own net, but Al Owais produced a brilliant save to keep it out.
90′ One final change for Donis. Khalid Al Ghannam replaces Nasser Al Dawsari.
90+2′ Porro’s low cross finds Ferran Torres, who has a simple tap-in to make it 5-0 for Spain, but the goal was disallowed for offisde after a VAR Check.
90+9′ Final whiste at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Spain ease to a comfortable 4-0 win against Saudi Arabia. A dominant display from the European champions. But despite the defeat, the Green Falcons still have a chance to reach the knockout stage if they beat Cape Verde in their third and final group match.
