European giants Spain continue their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they take on Iraq in an international friendly at the Estadio Municipal de Riazor in A Coruña on Thursday.
While the match may appear one-sided on paper, it offers both nations an important opportunity to fine-tune their squads ahead of the tournament in North America.
Match Details
- Match: Spain vs Iraq
- Competition: International Friendly
- Venue: Estadio Municipal de Riazor, A Coruña, Spain
- Date: June 4, 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 local time (Spain)
Form Guide
Spain enter the fixture as one of the favourites for the upcoming World Cup. Luis de la Fuente's side are unbeaten in regular time in their last 28 international matches and have suffered just one defeat across all competitions in the past two years, a penalty shootout loss to Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final.
La Roja have also been dominant in front of goal, scoring 13 goals in their last five matches while conceding only twice.
Iraq, meanwhile, arrive with confidence of their own after a strong run of results. The Lions of Mesopotamia have quietly built momentum under Graham Arnold and have picked up notable victories over Bolivia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia in recent outings.
FIFA Rankings
Spain are currently ranked second in the FIFA World Rankings, trailing only France, while Iraq sit 57th in the world.
Team News
Spain will be without several high-profile stars for the friendly.
Luis de la Fuente has confirmed that Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams will miss the match due to fitness concerns, while Pedri, Rodri, Mikel Oyarzabal and Marc Cucurella have been rested. Champions League finalists Fabian Ruiz, Martin Zubimendi and David Raya are also unavailable.
Barcelona youngster Marc Bernal has been called into the squad and could make his senior international debut.
Iraq are expected to rely heavily on striker Aymen Hussein, widely regarded as their biggest attacking threat, while Ali Jasim and Ibrahim Bayesh are also expected to feature prominently.
Possible Spain XI
Unai Simon;
Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Alejandro Grimaldo;
Gavi, Marc Bernal, Dani Olmo;
Ferran Torres, Borja Iglesias, Alex Baena.
Possible Iraq XI
Ahmed Basil;
Hussein Ali, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashim, Merchas Doski;
Amir Al-Ammari, Marko Lawk, Ibrahim Bayesh;
Ali Jasim, Ali Al-Hamadi, Aymen Hussein.
Head-to-Head Record
Spain and Iraq have rarely crossed paths in international football, making Thursday's encounter a relatively unique meeting between the two nations.
Who Are the Favourites?
There is little doubt about the favourites heading into the contest.
Statistical models give Spain more than a 70 percent chance of victory, while Iraq's chances of pulling off a major upset are estimated at below 10 percent. Most prediction models expect a comfortable Spain win.
Bookmakers and analysts view Spain as one of the strongest contenders for the World Cup title, while Iraq's primary objective will be to remain compact and frustrate the European champions.
Key Players to Watch
Ferran Torres (Spain)
With several regular starters absent, Torres is expected to shoulder much of Spain's attacking responsibility. The Barcelona forward remains one of the most experienced players available in the squad.
Gavi (Spain)
The energetic midfielder is likely to dictate the tempo and provide creativity in the middle of the park.
Aymen Hussein (Iraq)
The prolific striker is Iraq's biggest goal threat and will be tasked with leading the line against one of the world's best defensive units.
Prediction
Spain possess superior quality in virtually every area of the pitch and should dominate possession throughout the match. Iraq's disciplined defensive structure could make life difficult for periods, but over 90 minutes La Roja are expected to have too much firepower.
Predicted Score:
Spain 3-0 Iraq
A comfortable victory would give Spain valuable momentum heading into the World Cup, while Iraq will hope to gain experience against elite opposition ahead of their own tournament campaign.