Many will view this group as Spain, Uruguay and column fodder. While this might seem reasonable on paper, recall that Saudi Arabia orchestrated one of the most unlikely upsets in World Cup history in 2022, beating Argentina in matchday one. Argentina then went on to win that World Cup and did not allow a single goal for the remainder of the group stage.
This is to say, it’s incredibly difficult to predict what will happen from match to match, and there are bound to be results that few see coming. On a more analytical level, we haven’t yet seen the developing Saudi Pro League’s presence mean much for the national team that it helps support. At some point, money talks and change typically follows.
With one of the tournament favorites in a pod with a couple of “afterthoughts”, be careful not to assume too much from Group H.
The Teams
Embed from Getty ImagesCabo Verde
Best Case Scenario
Very briefly, Cabo Verde held the record for smallest country by land volume to qualify for the World Cup, until Curaçao stole its thunder less than two months later. One thing that Cabo (will also be referenced as Cape) Verde does retain, however, is the best nickname in the tournament – the Blue Sharks.
Like their diminutive brethren Curaçao, Cabo Verde arrives at its first World Cup by way of a hardworking strategy by the federation that has committed to luring players with heritage from other countries. Still, this is a squad that lacks exposure to the top global club leagues on a regular basis, with 36-year-old captain Ryan Mendes being one of the few with that experience. With a tough group to contend with, Cabo Verde will be looking for happy “moments”.
Realistic Expectation
Matching up against two former World Cup winners in the group stage is a massive challenge for even the most capable squads, let alone a debutant.
There will be an obvious talent gap in at least two of Cabo Verde’s matches, making moving on from the group stage incredibly difficult. Keeping all three matches competitive would be a true achievement for the Blue Sharks.
Embed from Getty ImagesSaudi Arabia
Best Case Scenario
Saudi Arabia has been busy at the leadership level recently, hiring away former United States soccer sporting director Matt Crocker to a similar capacity and less than three months before the World Cup, replacing former manager Hervé Renard with Georgios Donis. While potentially tumultuous on the inside, things probably won’t change much in terms of the Saudis approach on the pitch.
Known for seeking counterattacking opportunities and defending their own goal, Saudi Arabia is actually set up well tactically for the type of approach that can give a talent deficient squad a chance against the likes of Spain. In 2022, the Saudis pulled off perhaps the upset of the tournament by knocking off eventual champion Argentina in matchday one. They’ll have not one, but two chances to orchestrate a similarly perceived upset in 2026.
Realistic Expectation
Calling a massive upset isn’t “realistic”, so don’t count on an unexpected three points for Saudi Arabia from either the Spain or Uruguay match.
However, a tactical masterclass is still in the cards against Cabo Verde, and three points could be enough to sneak into the knockout round. The Saudis won’t be the most exciting team to watch, but they should be competitive enough to see an advancement path by matchday three.
Embed from Getty ImagesSpain
Best Case Scenario
La Roja are the most recent champions of Europe and one of the top choices being predicted to hoist the trophy in mid-July. They are deep at all levels, with particular technical talent in the midfield and exceptional youth up front led by Lamine Yamal (still just 18-years-old) and Nico Williams (23-years-old).
Spain breezed through European qualification and will be favored in almost every match it may play in this year’s World Cup. Anything less than winning the entire thing will be seen as a disappointment back home, and there is really anything (or anyone, outside of perhaps France and a couple others) that can challenge that sentiment at this point.
Realistic Expectation
See above. Like the qualification stage, Spain should have little to no problem moving on into the knockout rounds. The defense can carry the squad in cases where the attacking forces haven’t quite gotten into a groove, as Spain has allowed just four goals in all competitions since the beginning of 2025 and hasn’t lost in regular time during that span.
La Roja will be looking to become the first country to win the EUROs and World Cup in consecutive tournaments since 2008/2010 when, guess who? Spain accomplished the monumental feat.
Embed from Getty ImagesUruguay
Best Case Scenario
CONMEBOL qualification was a rollercoaster ride for Uruguay, which saw La Celeste struggle at various points finding the back of the net. Now, the team will need to find a way to regain some offensive magic despite moving on from the country’s two all-time leading goal scorers, Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani.
Best case scenario, a tandem that supporters have been hoping will click (Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez) will do so at the perfect time. Núñez in particular has struggled at times coming up big when the lights are at their brightest, but did have a solid campaign in his first year in the Saudi league, tying for third for most goals across multiple competitions.
Realistic Expectation
Likely a bit of both, as consistency has not been a strong suit of the side for some time. Given the group stage competition, goalscoring may not be an issue until the knockout round, which Uruguay should make.
At that point, La Celeste may really begin to miss the dependable boots of Suárez and Cavani. Marco Bielsa’s high-intensity, attacking style may be able to make up for inconsistencies of the players to an extent, but not enough for Uruguay to make a deep run in the tournament.
Matches to Watch
Embed from Getty ImagesCabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (June 26 – 8 PM ET)
The group stage finale is also the Blue Sharks’ best opportunity to get a result (or perhaps even their first goal). If Saudi Arabia is still seeking points and needs to push, this one could get far more wild than if it were played during any other matchday.
Uruguay vs. Spain (June 26 – 8 PM ET)
Three World Cup titles have been won collectively between these two nations, which are currently in very different places in terms of realistic expectations but will no doubt believe equally in their ability to win it all in 2026.
Predictions (Bold Advance to Knockout Stage)
Embed from Getty Images1. Spain
2. Uruguay
3. Saudia Arabia
4. Cabo Verde
