Spain take on Saudi Arabia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday at noon ET in a Group H match that carries serious weight for one of the tournament’s more surprising early storylines. Spain were held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in their World Cup opener, a result that drew sharp criticism and left the 2010 world champions under unexpected pressure heading into their second game.

Saudi Arabia drew 1-1 with Uruguay in their opening match, a result that keeps the group genuinely open. A win for Spain would restore some order to their campaign and put them in a strong position heading into the final group game. A Saudi victory would be one of the bigger stories the tournament has produced so far, building on the memory of their famous win over Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Spain’s Luis de la Fuente has faced questions about how the team has set up since the Cape Verde draw. The squad, built around a young core from Barcelona and Real Madrid, carries expectations shaped by their recent European Championship performances. Failing to progress from the group stage would mark one of the more stunning collapses in the country’s modern football history.

Saudi Arabia are ranked considerably lower but have shown repeatedly that they can organize defensively and threaten on the counter. Their coaching staff will have studied Spain’s weaknesses from the Cape Verde match closely. A point here would put the Saudis in a strong position before their final group game against Uruguay.

The stakes mean both managers will start with attacking intent. Spain need the win too badly to play conservatively. Saudi Arabia know that a draw or better would put them in control of their own Group H destiny.

The match kicks off at noon ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Full ticket and broadcast information is available at the official FIFA World Cup site. Cape Verde’s draw with Spain earlier in the tournament showed what an organized defensive unit can do against a technically superior opponent. Whether Saudi Arabia can repeat that feat on Sunday will be the central question of Day 11.