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Spain vs. Saudi Arabia—World Cup: Live Score and Match Stats

The 37th game of the 2026 World Cup sees former winners look to get its campaign back on track.
Spain must focus and get the job done against Saudi Arabia—but it won’t be easy.
Spain must focus and get the job done against Saudi Arabia—but it won’t be easy. | Kristian Skeie/UEFA/Getty Images, Julian Finney/FIFA/Getty Images, Michael Regan/FIFA/Getty Images

Spain’s 2026 World Cup was supposed to get off to a cruising start against tournament debutants, and minnows, Cabo Verde. But neither side seemingly got the memo, with a 0–0 draw a remarkably accurate reflection of how the first group game played out.

The pressure is therefore on Luis de la Fuente’s side to prove it is not just a one-trick, Lamine Yamal pony. He could be back to face Saudi Arabia, but he won’t be at full fitness if he is given the nod. What Spain must be, as always seems to be the case, is more clinical. 27 efforts on goal resulted in just seven going on target, delivering an xG (expected goals) of 2.10. 734 passes and not one of them led to a shot which sent the ball into the back of the net.

Saudi Arabia was on the back foot against Uruguay for large portions of its first group game. It was unsurprising really, given the 45 place difference between the two in FIFA’s world rankings, but Abdulelah Al Amri’s goal just before half-time threatened a shock win until Maxi Araújo said no sir with 10 minutes remaining. Another performance of this ilk could really rattle Spain, particularly if La Roja don’t score early.


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Toby Cudworth
TOBY CUDWORTH

Toby Cudworth is Lead Editor for SI FC. A Premier League, EFL and UEFA accredited journalist, Cudworth is a graduate of the University of Gloucestershire, where he studied Broadcast Journalism. He previously worked for 90min as a writer, academy manager, editor and eventually content lead, before joining Sports Illustrated in May 2025. A lifelong supporter of West Ham United, he still can’t quite believe they won a European trophy and feels nature is healing now that results have slipped back into the yo-yo patterns of the last 30 years.