Group H has 2 giants, former World Cup winners, and two newcomers, who are looking to make an impact on the game after impressing many in the past few years.
Cape Verde (FIFA Rank 69)
Embed from Getty Images EmbedA small island off the coast of Africa, Cape Verde has qualified for the World Cup for the very first time, but have been tested with a group that will not be favorable. Serbia is not headed to North America, but lost 3-0 to Cape Verde in a friendly in May, proving that they’re no slouch.
Saudi Arabia (FIFA Rank 61)
Embed from Getty ImagesAll the soccer money is from Saudi Arabia right now. Superstars getting brought into the Saudi Pro League for exorbitant prices, but will it be enough to ignite the nation to make it to the knockouts? Everything in the World Cup has to be homegrown, which is not something Saudi Arabia is known for, but they did pull the shocker of the tournament in 2022, beating eventual champion Argentina in the opening game.
Spain (FIFA Rank 2)
Embed from Getty ImagesThe reigning European champions, Spain, simply has the best roster in the tournament. They have the best goalkeeper in Europe this season, and he may not even start. They have a former Ballon D’Or winner in the midfield, the defense is loaded, Pedri is one of the greats at his position and you can’t forget about Lamine Yamal, 18 years old and arguably the world’s best player. 2022 was a disappointment for the Spanish, but they have created a superteam for 2026, looking to run away with the trophy.
Uruguay (FIFA Rank 17)
Embed from Getty ImagesUruguay has the midfield and the defense to beat anyone. Federico Valverde is the captain at Real Madrid, Manuel Ugarte is a great player, so is Ronald Araujo. Scoring goals could be a bit of an issue here, as they simply lack the firepower offensively that the rest of the top nations have. Darwin Nunez is going to have to go back to his Benfica days if Uruguay want a shot to go far in this tournament.
Official Prediction:
Spain is the best team in this region by a good margin, and Uruguay are the second best team in this region by a good margin. A better question would be if anyone in the entire tournament could beat this Spanish side.
- Spain
- Uruguay
- Saudi Arabia
- Cape Verde