Spain begin 2026 World Cup qualifying against Bulgaria in Sofia

Spain begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Thursday when the reigning European champions visit Bulgaria at Sofia's Vasil Levski National Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 19:45 BST / 20:45 CET / 14:45 ET. The fixture opens Group E, which also contains Turkey and Georgia, with the group winner earning direct qualification to the 2026 tournament and the runner up entering the playoffs.

Luis de la Fuente's side arrive in Bulgaria fresh from their Euro 2024 triumph but wounded by a narrow defeat to Portugal in the Nations League final in June. Spain remain heavy favorites, boasting a deep squad and a strong away record. De la Fuente has had to adjust his selection amid injuries to Gavi, Fabian Ruiz and Yeremy Pino, with reports naming Aleix Garcia and Jorge de Frutos as call ups to the squad. Media reports suggest a spine of Robin Le Normand paired with Dean Huijsen in central defence, with Martin Zubimendi and Pedro Porro expected in midfield and Ferran Torres potentially leading the line.

Bulgaria enter the match in poor recent form, having failed to secure promotion in the Nations League playoffs and produced underwhelming friendlies in June, including a 2-2 draw...