Track Tickets
Group H delivered the biggest shocks of the opening round. Tournament favourites Spain were frustrated by World Cup debutants Cabo Verde, while Saudi Arabia produced another opening-day surprise to hold two-time champions Uruguay. The upshot: all four teams sit level on a single point. Here is how the group looks and what comes next.
Spain 0-0 Cabo Verde: Debutants Pull Off the Shock
Reigning European champions Spain arrived in Atlanta as the team to beat, but they could not break down a superbly organised Cabo Verde side making their World Cup bow. The Blue Sharks defended deep and compact, rarely venturing forward, and dug in to claim a famous point they celebrated as if it were a trophy.
Spain dominated the ball and fashioned openings, but lacked the cutting edge to take them, with Pedri their main source of creativity and substitute Lamine Yamal bringing energy without the decisive end product. Captain Rodri cut a frustrated figure by the finish. One remarkable measure of Cabo Verde's discipline: they were said to have committed just a single foul across the entire match — the fewest in a World Cup game in decades. Relive it on our Spain vs Cabo Verde page.
Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay: Another Opening-Day Surprise
Four years on from famously beating eventual champions Argentina in their 2022 opener, Saudi Arabia were at it again in Miami. Right on half-time, Abdulelah Al Amri turned in from close range after Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera could only parry a rebound, sending the hosts of the 2034 World Cup in front.
Uruguay laid siege to the Saudi goal but were repeatedly frustrated, and it took until ten minutes from time to level. Mohammed Al Owais saved Federico Viñas' header, but Maximiliano Araújo pounced on the rebound to make it 1-1. Uruguay went looking for a winner, only for Al Owais to deny them with a string of fine saves. See the full result on our Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay page.
How Group H Looks After Matchday 1
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Spain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Cabo Verde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
All four teams are level on a point with a zero goal difference, so it is goals scored that separates them for now — which leaves the two sides from the Miami draw narrowly ahead of Spain and Cabo Verde. The big favourites, then, have ground to make up, and the group is wide open.
What's Next in Group H
Spain will be desperate to get their campaign moving when they meet Saudi Arabia in Spain vs Saudi Arabia back in Atlanta — a game La Roja simply cannot afford to slip up in again. Meanwhile, Uruguay take on the debutants in Uruguay vs Cabo Verde in Miami, where the South Americans will be heavy favourites to claim a first win. With every team still on a single point, the second round could shake the table up completely.
Be There for the Drama
Shocks, resilient underdogs and a favourite under pressure — Group H has been box office. Browse every available fixture on our World Cup 2026 tickets page and secure your seat before the biggest games sell out.
