On Friday, Spain and Cape Verde secured their spots in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, as Group H concluded with outcomes that eliminated Uruguay and Saudi Arabia from the tournament.
The final day's matches were played simultaneously: Spain managed a 1-0 victory over Uruguay at Zapopan's Estadio Akron, while Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 at Houston's NRG Stadium.
The decisive moment in Zapopan came in the 42nd minute when Álex Baena capitalized on a significant mistake by Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, scoring the match's only goal with a right-footed shot.
Spain topped the group with 7 points, boasting two wins, one draw, and maintaining a clean sheet throughout the group stage: scoring five goals and conceding none.
In contrast, Cape Verde crafted one of the tournament's most remarkable narratives by becoming the first-ever debutant to complete the World Cup group stage without losing a match.
The African team accumulated three consecutive draws —0-0 against Spain, 2-2 against Uruguay, and 0-0 against Saudi Arabia— amassing three points to finish second in the group, surpassing both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, who each had two points.
Spain's Commanding Performance
Spain's journey in the group was assertive, especially from the second matchday: following a goalless draw against Cape Verde on June 15 in Atlanta, they trounced Saudi Arabia 4-0 on June 21 at the same venue, with goals from Lamine Yamal, a Mikel Oyarzabal brace, and an own goal.
Uruguay, twice world champions in 1930 and 1950, entered the final matchday with just two points after drawing 1-1 with Saudi Arabia and 2-2 with Cape Verde, needing a win to progress. The defeat to Spain marked the end of their campaign.
Saudi Arabia's Struggles
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia finished last with a goal difference of -4, having conceded five goals and scored only once over three matches.
With the group standings finalized, the knockout stage matchups are set for the qualifiers: Spain, as group leaders, will face the second-place team from Group J —either Austria or Algeria, yet to be determined— on July 2 at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium.
Cape Verde, on the other hand, is set to play against Argentina —Group J's top team— on July 3 in Miami, a challenging encounter for the group’s surprise team.
Key Insights into Group H at the 2026 World Cup
How did Spain perform in the group stage?
Spain finished first in Group H with two wins and one draw, scoring five goals and not conceding any.
What was Cape Verde's achievement in the tournament?
Cape Verde became the first debutant to complete a World Cup group stage without losing a match, securing three draws.
Which teams were eliminated from Group H?
Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were eliminated from Group H, finishing with two points each.