Is Lamine Yamal playing today? Projected lineups for England vs Spain in 2026-27 UEFA Nations League Matchday 1

Spain opens its Nations League campaign against England at Wembley on Saturday, with Lamine Yamal set to headline the visiting lineup in the first match for La Roja since lifting the World Cup this summer.

The Barcelona winger enters this window in good form, and all signs point to him starting rather than being eased back in gradually. Luis De la Fuente addressed the question directly when unveiling his squad, calling the decision to include Yamal “obvious” and pointing to his recent Champions League form as further proof of where he’s at physically after a standout World Cup campaign in which he featured in every match for Spain.

Spain will be looking to bounce back from last year’s Nations League final defeat to Portugal, using the World Cup title they lifted this summer as a springboard for a strong start away from home.

Both teams enter this Nations League A3 group alongside Croatia and Czechia, with the opening matchday setting an early tone for who controls the group heading into October.

Projected lineup for England

Thomas Tuchel is dealing with a heavily depleted squad, with Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento all withdrawing through injury, while John Stones, Reece James and Djed Spence are also missing at the back.

England projected starting XI: Jordan Pickford; Jarell Quansah, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly; Elliot Anderson, James Scott; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.

Projected lineup for Spain

Spain will be without four members of last summer’s World Cup-winning squad: goalkeeper Joan Garcia, sidelined by a knee injury; Gavi, suspended following his World Cup final altercation with Argentina’s Leandro Paredes; and right-back Marcos Llorente and forward Borja Iglesias, who both retired from the national team after lifting the trophy.

Spain projected starting XI: Unai Simon; Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams; Mikel Oyarzabal.