Spain host Iraq on June 4, 2026, in a pre-World Cup friendly at the Abanca-Riazor in La Coruña, with kickoff set for 3:00 PM. It is the latest tune-up for both sides before the tournament begins in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
For viewers in the United States, Fubo and ViX will carry Spain vs Iraq live. Spain are led by Luis de la Fuente, while Graham Arnold is in charge of Iraq, giving the match a straightforward managerial backdrop even if the lineups remain unsettled.
The timing is what makes this game matter now. Spain are coming in with three wins and two draws in their last five matches, including a goalless draw with Egypt in March, a 3-0 win over Serbia, a 2-2 draw with Turkey, and back-to-back 4-0 victories away to Georgia and at home against Bulgaria. Iraq reached La Coruña after a 1-0 win over Andorra, and they will use the night to measure themselves against a side that has looked stable through qualifying and friendlies.
That stability does not yet extend to the teamsheet. No injuries or suspensions had been confirmed for Spain ahead of the match, but no probable starting lineup had been released either, and Iraq also had no injury or suspension information available, with no projected XI confirmed at the time. That leaves the most important question for the first whistle: which combinations do the coaches trust when the game starts to matter on the pitch rather than on paper?
The match also sits inside a bigger reset for both national teams. Spain are using it to sharpen combinations and settle roles before Group H, where they will face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Iraq, meanwhile, are building toward a World Cup return for the first time in nearly four decades, with Group I fixtures against Norway, France and Senegal waiting after La Coruña. Lamine Yamal will wear No. 19 at his first World Cup, Dani Olmo has been handed No. 10 and Gavi will take No. 9, a reminder that Spain’s next phase is already taking shape even before kickoff. What happens at the Abanca-Riazor at 3:00 PM will not decide either team’s World Cup fate, but it will tell both managers how much is still left to settle.
