Lamine Yamal confirmed available for Spain's opening World Cup 2026 match

Lamine Yamal will indeed be present for the start of the 2026 World Cup. Spanish manager Luis de la Fuente confirmed on Sunday, in his pre-match press conference, that the FC Barcelona winger, along with Nico Williams and Victor Munoz, “will be available” for the tournament’s kick-off.

The three attackers are suffering from thigh injuries. Yamal was officially ruled out on April 23 by FC Barcelona, having suffered a biceps femoris injury to his left thigh. Since then, he has been in a race against time to be fit in time, with the tournament beginning on June 11.

To preserve their physical condition, the Spanish staff decided to leave them out of the friendly match against Peru played tonight in Puebla, Mexico. The three players will remain at La Roja’s base camp, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “We regret that they are not with us, but the medical services and fitness coaches recommended that we leave them,” Luis de la Fuente explained.

Their availability for the opening match does not guarantee them a place in the starting eleven. Spain, the defending European champions, will open their campaign against Cape Verde on Monday, June 15 (6 p.m.) in Group H. They will then face Saudi Arabia on June 21 and Uruguay on June 27.