Uruguay and Spain meet at Guadalajara Stadium in the final round of 2026 World Cup Group D fixtures, with both nations knowing the result will go a long way toward deciding who tops the group and who books a Round of 32 spot.
Spain head into this one in pole position after their dramatic turnaround. La Roja opened the tournament with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde but responded emphatically on Matchday 2, beating Saudi Arabia 4-0.
For this crucial game looking to secure a spot in the next round, Lamine Yamal will start, as the forward returned to the lineup against Saudi Arabia after being eased back from injury.
Uruguay, meanwhile, arrive under considerably more pressure. Marcelo Bielsa’s side has been unable to turn good performances into wins, playing out a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia before another leveled match, this time 2-2 against Cape Verde.
Lamine Yamal celebrates a goal for Spain. (Getty Images)
With just two points to their name, La Celeste know a win is the safest route into the knockout stage, while anything less leaves their fate tangled up with the simultaneous Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia game in Houston.
see also
How Spain’s win, draw, or loss vs Uruguay could impact the 2026 World Cup Group H standings
Spain confirmed lineup
Luis De la Fuente looks set to stick with the same approach that overwhelmed Saudi Arabia, only making one change as Alex Baena will replace Nico Williams on the front.
Spain’s confirmed starting XI: Unai Simón; Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Mikel Merino, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Alex Baena.
Uruguay confirmed lineup
For this game, Marcelo Bielsa decided to use Darwin Núñez ahead of Federico Viñas, who struggled to make an impact in the draw with Cape Verde. With everything on the line, Bielsa will turn to his most clinical finisher from kickoff.
Uruguay’s confirmed starting XI: Fernando Muslera; Guillermo Varela, Sebastián Cáceres, Mathías Olivera, Juan Manuel Sanabria; Federico Valverde, Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur; Agustín Canobbio, Darwin Núñez, Maximiliano Araújo.
