Pedri is confirmed in the Spain squadfor the duel against Saudi Arabia this Sunday (21), in the second round of Group H of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Barcelona midfielder, one of the main talents of the generation, starts as a starter and is a key player in Luis de la Fuente’s midfield at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Atlanta.
Spain are looking for their first victory in the tournament after a goalless draw with Cape Verde in their debut. Saudi Arabia arrives motivated after drawing 1-1 with Uruguay.
Spain line-up confirmed
Luis de la Fuente formed the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
- Spain (4-2-3-1):Unai Simón; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella;Pedri, Rodri (captain); Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Álex Baena; Mikel Oyarzabal.
Pedri, despite having received a yellow card in the first round, is available and should lead the actions in midfield, distributing the game and helping with the transition to attack. La Roja had ample dominance in their debut, with 27 shots, but they need to improve their finishing.
Saudi Arabia line-up confirmed
The team coached by Georgios Donis must repeat the following:
- Saudi Arabia (5-3-2):Mohammed Al-Owais; Saud Abdulhamid, Hassan Al-Tambakti, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Ali Lajami, Moteb Al-Harbi; Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Musab Al-Juwayr, Salem Al-Dawsari (captain); Firas Al-Buraikan and another attacker.
The Asians rely on a compact defense and quick counterattacks.
Where to watch live
In Brazil, transmission is the responsibility of theDisney+, with complementary options on Prime Video and YouTube CazéTV. The game starts at 1pm (Brasília time).
Pedri as Spain’s driving force
Pedri is essential for controlling the Spanish team’s game. His vision, passing and ability to dictate pace could make the difference against a defensively well-organized Saudi Arabia. A victory today puts Spain (#2 in the FIFA rankings) back on the path to favoritism in Group H, avoiding complications in the last round.
Saudi Arabia (#61) tries to emulate the 1994 campaign and surprise one of the favorites for the title.
The referee of the match is Brazilian Raphael Claus. The Atlanta stadium should host a clash with expected Spanish dominance, but which requires efficiency.