Spain suffered the 2026 World Cup‘s greatest shock so far as they were held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde on Monday.
The European champions failed to dispatch the third-smallest country to ever qualify for a World Cup, recording 23 shots but only hitting the target with six of those.
La Roja lacked fluidity and dynamism without the presence of wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, whose second-half appearances also weren’t enough to generate an opening for the tournament favourites.
That result might have them fearing of a similar performance at this tournament to recent renewals. They crashed out in the group stages in Brazil in 2010, before falling at the last-16 in both Russia and Qatar. Many had also backed Spain to go the distance in 2022 under Luis Enrique. However, a penalty shootout defeat to Morocco saw Enrique step down and Luis de la Fuente take over.
Spain odds to win the World Cup
Spain started out at as 4/1 favourites to win the tournament before a ball was kicked. Since then, including their 0-0 draw with Cape Verde, has seen them drop to 11/2, however, they still remain above all others in the outright market.
De la Fuente has arguably the strongest squad on the continent to utilise, as we saw at Euro 2024. Their performances at the finals have often left little to the imagination. However, this young, vibrant squad has what it takes to go all the way, regardless of this minor hiccup.
Spain odds to win Group H
Following a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their opener, Spain are still the odds-on favourites to win Group H.
Also drawn alongside Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, it would be a huge shock for Spain to not progress to the knockout stages despite this minor setback.
| Team | Odds from Bet365 | Odds from William Hill | Odds from Sky Bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 4/9 | 2/5 | 4/9 |
| Uruguay | 7/4 | 7/4 | 9/4 |
| Saudi Arabia | 25/1 | 25/1 | 20/1 |
| Cape Verde | 50/1 | 50/1 | 20/1 |
Spain stage of elimination odds
The bookmakers believe Spain will make it out of Group H, and are at 20/1 to be eliminated before the knockouts. In fact, La Roja are at the same price to be eliminated at the round-of-32 as they are to win the World Cup, with the shortest price of 10/3 to be knockout out in the quarter-finals.
| Stage of Elimination | Odds from Bet365 |
|---|---|
| Quarter-finals | 10/3 |
| Round of 16 | 15/4 |
| Semi-finals | 9/2 |
| Round-of-32 | 9/2 |
| Winner | 9/2 |
| Runner-up | 13/2 |
| Group stage | 20/1 |
Spain World Cup top goalscorer odds
At the time of writing, Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal is Spain’s frontrunner to be the top goalscorer at the World Cup at 16/1. While the teenager has struggled with injuries this season, Yamal’s form could be key in their bid for success.
Mikel Merino and Mikel Oyarzabal are at 33/1 and 40/1, respectively, to claim the Golden Boot. Ferran Torres, meanwhile, is at 50/1, though whether he features frequently remains to be seen.
| Player | Odds from Bet365 | Odds from BetMGM | Odds from 10Bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamine Yamal | 14/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 |
| Mikel Oyarzabal | 33/1 | 22/1 | 22/1 |
| Mikel Merino | 33/1 | 33/1 | 33/1 |
| Ferran Torres | 50/1 | 40/1 | 50/1 |
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