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Spain will commence their final preparations for the upcoming World Cup on Thursday evening as they host Iraq in La Coruña.

The reigning European champions enter the summer tournament as one of the leading contenders to claim the title in North America. Head coach Luis de la Fuente aims to guide his team to a second world championship, following their historic success in 2010. La Roja secured their qualification comfortably, finishing top of their group with five wins from six matches.

Iraq, on the other hand, travel to Europe celebrating a long-awaited return to football’s grandest stage. The Lions of Mesopotamia have qualified for their first World Cup since 1986 after a demanding qualification journey.

Graham Arnold’s side booked their place by defeating Bolivia in a dramatic intercontinental playoff in April. This friendly encounter at the Estadio Abanca-Riazor serves as an important test for both teams ahead of the tournament.

Competition: International Friendly

Date: Thursday, 4 June 2026

Kick-off: 20:00 BST

Venue: Estadio Abanca-Riazor

Referee: Florian Badstübner (Germany)

Last Meeting: Spain 1–0 Iraq (17 June 2009, FIFA Confederations Cup)

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente will have to make do without his first-choice wingers for this initial warm-up. Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are still sidelined as they continue their recovery from injuries. De la Fuente remains optimistic about their return to full fitness before Spain’s tournament opener against Cape Verde.

Midfielder Mikel Merino will also miss the match due to a minor fitness issue. Young Barcelona talent Marc Bernal has been called up to the senior squad as part of a temporary backup group. Goalkeeper David Raya will join the camp later, leaving Unai Simon and Joan Garcia vying for the starting spot.

Iraq captain Jalal Hassan will make his 101st international appearance when he starts in goal on Thursday. He will be supported by a defensive line featuring Hussein Ali, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashim, and Merchas Doski.

Midfielder Zidane Iqbal faces strong competition for a place in the starting eleven, with Amir Al-Ammari, Aimar Sher, and Kevin Yakob all pushing for selection. Striker Aymen Hussein is expected to lead the attack alongside Ipswich Town forward Ali Al-Hamadi, forming a robust front duo.

Spain currently sit second in the official FIFA world rankings and have built a remarkable record in recent years. The team remains unbeaten in regulation time across their last 28 international fixtures in all competitions. Their sole defeat in this 27-month period came via penalties against Portugal last summer.

De la Fuente’s men also boast a 16-match unbeaten streak on home turf. However, they were held to a goalless draw by Egypt in their most recent home outing. Spain have a perfect record in La Coruña, never having lost an international match there. Their last appearance at this stadium ended in a commanding 5–0 win over Belgium in 2009.

Iraq, positioned 57th in the world rankings, face a challenging group at the World Cup featuring France, Senegal, and Norway. Nevertheless, the team has shown great improvement since the appointment of Australian coach Graham Arnold.

The Lions of Mesopotamia have recorded nine wins from their last fourteen international matches. They come into this fixture in good form, having claimed back-to-back friendly victories over Bolivia and Andorra, including a narrow 1–0 triumph against Andorra last month.

Spain Predicted XI: Simon; Porro, Pubill, Cubarsi, Cucurella; Gavi, Rodri, Pedri; Pino, Oyarzabal, Torres

Iraq Predicted XI: Hassan; H. Ali, Tahseen, Hashim, Doski; Amyn, Al-Ammari, Sher, Bayesh; Al-Hamadi, Hussein

The Spain vs Iraq international friendly will be broadcast live in the UK, exclusively on Amazon Prime Video UK. The match will kick off at 8:00 PM BST, with live streaming available on the platform.