Spain are the early pre-tournament betting favourites to lift the biggest prize in soccer, and they’ll start their campaign against first-time qualifier Cape Verde.

Read along for our preview to find out what we think could happen in this Group H contest.

To celebrate the momentous occasion that is the World Cup, Sportsbet is bringing back its exclusive Super Sub feature!

How does Super Sub work? Well, it’s very simple. Place a bet on select player markets throughout the 2026 Men’s World Cup and if that player is subbed off your bet rolls over to the new player that replaced them.

For example, if you’ve bet on Kylian Mbappe to score during one of France’s matches and during that match he fails to do so and is directly substituted for Jean-Philippe Mateta who ends up scoring instead, your original bet on Mbappe is paid as a winner!

Super Sub is not exclusive to goalscoring markets either, it also applies to anytime assist, player to win one or more fouls, shots on target and more, just make sure to read all the T&Cs before locking in your bet.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Spain to win

Value bet: Spain Over 3.5 Goals

Long shot: Spain to win 4-0

Spain vs Cape Verde prediction

Spain have been made huge favourites to win this game, with their odds extremely short in the moneyline.

As our Spain vs Cape Verde betting odds page shows, given the major soccer experience of Luis de la Fuente’s players and their quality as some of the best in the game, it’s not a shock that many don’t expect an upset.

It’s Spain’s 17th Finals, having last won it in 2010. However, they’ve been eliminated in the Round of 16 in the previous two editions, having seriously underachieved since their golden era.

Times might be changing for La Roja, as they will enter the competition as Euro 2024 champions under De La Fuente.

Cape Verde had a solid and spectacular qualifying campaign, going 7-2-1. Still, they’ve not faced an opponent like Spain before, and it’ll likely be something exceptionally new to many of their players and management.

Before you settle in, it's worth checking out how the groups stack up from easiest to hardest and casting an eye over the latest World Cup betting odds to get a feel for where the value sits.

Spain vs Cape Verde score prediction

With the moneyline odds very short, there’s arguably better value in the score and goal markets for punters.

A game like this will likely appeal to many bettors in the correct score market, as there’s the potential to find value.

While Cape Verde have been pretty resilient in qualifying, they’ve never come up against an attack as potent as Spain’s.

Including qualifiers, Spain has won two of its last three matches in this tournament by a scoreline of 4-0. It’s why the Spain 4-0 correct score offers decent value, especially with La Roja able to call upon players who know where the back of the net is.

By extension, we think this could mean there’s value in the Over 3.5 goals market. Including qualifiers, the Over 3.5 Goals market has hit in four of Spain's last five tournament matches.

A clean sheet is also likely. The BTTS not hitting has better value than the moneyline odds, as it has failed to hit in five of Spain's last six Group Stage day matches.

In addition, including qualifiers, Spain has won five of its last six matches in this competition to nil.

If you're just getting your bearings, have a squiz at how the World Cup betting markets shape up and brush up on what a multi bet actually is before you sort your picks for the night.

Spain vs Cape Verde team news and line-ups

Predicted Spain line-up ( 4-3-3 ): Unai Simón, Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella, Mikel Merino, Aleix García, Fabián Ruiz, Yeremy Pino, Mikel Oyarzabal, Dani Olmo.

De la Fuente's side dominate possession and press high, with the front three asked to attack in transition before the defence can reset.

Fabián Ruiz faces a late fitness test on a knee issue, Mikel Merino faces a late fitness test on a foot injury, while Nico Williams and Victor Munoz return from suspension.

Predicted Cape Verde line-up ( 4-2-3-1 ): Bruno Varela, Jorge Xavier, Monteiro, Kelvin Pires, David Moreira, Kenny Pina, Laros Duarte, Garry Rodrigues, Telmo Arcanjo, Hélio Varela, Nuno Da Costa.

The island nation will likely sit deeper, looking to spring forward on the break.

Spain vs Cape Verde head-to-head record

Spain and Cape Verde have never met before, so this match is the first meeting between the two sides.

Player markets to watch

Mikel Oyarzabal is one individual who could make a telling contribution to the outcome of this game, as he has been in exceptional form for Spain throughout qualifying.

The Real Sociedad captain had 10 goal involvements during qualifying, scoring or assisting in 47.6% of the nation’s total goals.

In terms of scoring, he scored six times in six matches across qualifying, failing to find the net in one encounter. He has also scored in two friendlies since qualifying, showcasing his importance and potency.

Dani Olmo could offer better value worth exploring, especially as a creative player. The Barcelona attacker is a playmaker and has had several big moments in his career. Since playing for Spain’s senior level, he has 20 goal contributions (11 goals and 9 assists).

He could be seen as one of the leaders of De La Fuente’s relatively young squad, and if he gets on the ball against Cape Verde, he could make things happen.

Bubista will lead Cape Verde and will be looking for his players to put in the performance of their lives.

One man who could thrive and look like a threat if Spain gives him an opportunity is Dailon Livramento. He is a 25-year-old forward, and while he failed to find the back of the net for Casa Pia in Portugal this season (26 games), he was pretty prolific for his country.

Livramento found the net four times in 10 matches, firing his country to their first Finals. With the return that he had on the international scene, there’s value in him scoring, although it’s a long shot based on his recent club form.

Spain vs Cape Verde kick-off time (AEST)

Set your alarm for an early one, Aussie fans: Spain take on Cape Verde at 2:00am AEST on Tuesday 16 June 2026, so it's a proper middle-of-the-night affair at the World Cup.

Over at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the local clock reads 12:00pm on Monday 15 June 2026, which explains why we're tipping over to the next day back home.

How to watch Spain vs Cape Verde in Australia (SBS)

The match is live and free-to-air on SBS, and if you'd rather watch from the couch or your phone, you can stream every minute via SBS On Demand. Keep an eye on SBS VICELAND too for the network's World Cup coverage.