Preview the match
Spain will aim to continue its flawless start to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers when it hosts Bulgaria at the Jose Zorrilla Stadium in Valladolid on Tuesday evening.
La Roja leads Group E with nine points from three matches, while Bulgaria remains at the bottom of the standings without a single point in the middle of the qualifiers.
Luis de la Fuente’s side have shown an impressive response since losing to Portugal on penalties in the UEFA Nations League final in June.
Spain opened the qualifiers with an away win over Bulgaria 3-0, then crushed Türkiye 6-0, and most recently by defeating Georgia 2-0 on Saturday.
Goals from Jeremi Beno and Mikel Oyarzabal secured their latest victory, marking the fourth time in history that Spain has scored two or more goals in 10 successive matches.
Three points ahead of Türkiye, they are in a strong position to secure a 13th consecutive World Cup appearance.
On the other hand, Bulgaria is witnessing a heated campaign. After two 3-0 defeats to Spain and Georgia, Ilyan Iliev was fired and replaced by Alexander Dimitrov, whose first match ended in a 6-1 loss at home to Türkiye.
With no wins in eight matches and conceding at least twice in seven straight matches, the visitors face a major challenge at Valladolid.
Team news for the Spain vs. Bulgaria match
Spain remains without Den Huysen, Rodri, Dani Olmo and Lamin Yamal, who all withdrew due to injuries ahead of the Georgia game.
Alex Baena and Pablo Barrios offer new options, but De La Fuente could stick with the same starting XI that recorded a confident win on Saturday.
Mikel Oyarzabal is expected to lead the attack once again, having scored six goals in his last eight international matches.
For Bulgaria, defender Emil Tsinov is unavailable, and Christian Dimitrov is likely to play alongside Rozin Bozhinov in central defence. Ivan Turetsov could start at right-back, while captain Kirill Despodov should once again lead the attack.
The expected lineup for Spain’s match against Bulgaria
Spain: Simon; Porro, Le Normand, Coparcy, Cucurella; Merino, Zubimendi, Pedri; Torres, Pino, Oyarzabal
Bulgaria: Mitov. Turetsov, Dimitrov, Buzhinov, Petrov; Chuchev, Stoyanov, Krayev; Petkov, Kirillov, Despodov
Spain vs. Bulgaria match statistics
- Spain registered 11 goals without response In the first three qualifiers
- La Roja has He won five of the last six meetings Between the two countries
- Bulgaria has I conceded at least two goals In seven consecutive matches
- Spain has Score two or more goals In 10 consecutive international matches
- Bulgaria is Without a win in the last eight Matches in all competitions
How to watch Spain vs. Bulgaria: TV channel, stream online
Fans in Spain can follow the action live on national broadcasters such as RTVE or Movistar+, with TV and online coverage expected.
In the UK, Amazon Prime has the rights to the European qualifiers, while fans in the US and Canada can watch through major sports networks and streaming platforms, including ESPN or Paramount+.
The match starts at 19:45 pm Egypt time.
prediction
Spain has been relentless throughout the qualifiers and should once again dominate an underconfident Bulgaria side.
Expect a comfortable home win as La Roja continue their march towards the 2026 World Cup.
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