A Coruña, the Launchpad to the World Cup

With just eleven days remaining before their tournament opener in Atlanta, the Spanish national team will play its last match on home soil in A Coruña. Riazor will host the reigning European champions before they travel to North America for the World Cup.

Spain vs Iraq, kick-off at 9:00 p.m., will be broadcast live on La 1 (TVE).

The city of A Coruña, the region of Galicia, and fans across Spain are set to rally behind Luis de la Fuente's side as they prepare for the major challenge that awaits them from 15 June. Spain—players and supporters alike—dream of becoming world champions once again, sixteen years after their historic triumph in Johannesburg in 2010 under coach Vicente del Bosque.

A festive atmosphere is expected throughout the city. The Fan Zone in María Pita Square will serve as the main meeting point for supporters, offering a range of activities and entertainment organised by the Royal Spanish Football Federation(RFEF).

A Fan Walk to Riazor will also take place, allowing supporters to march from María Pita Square to the stadium and welcome the national team together before kick-off. The procession will feature music, flags, and thousands of fans passing through some of the city's most iconic landmarks on their way to the ground.

Spain's first opponent in their World Cup preparations will be Iraq, who have qualified for a FIFA World Cup finals tournament for the first time in 40 years, having previously appeared only at Mexico 1986. The Iraqis secured their place after defeating Bolivia 2–1 in the play-offs.

Head coach Luis de la Fuente stressed that the match is "extremely important in terms of preparation for a World Cup." For Galician striker Borja Iglesias, it will be a particularly special occasion: "It's always wonderful to return to Galicia because I can see my family and friends again."

Spain and Iraq have met only once before. That encounter came in 2009 at the FIFA Confederations Cup, when Spain won 1–0 thanks to a goal from David Villa.

This will be Spain's seventh match in A Coruña, where they remain unbeaten, having recorded four wins and two draws. Their most recent appearance at Riazor was on 29 March 2022, when they defeated Iceland 5–0, with braces from Álvaro Morata and Pablo Sarabia, plus a goal from Yeremy Pino.

German referee Florian Badstübner will take charge of the match, assisted by compatriots Christof Günsch and Sven Waschitzki-Günther, while Tobias Reichel will serve as fourth official.

Spain will be aiming to reward their fans with a strong performance and build momentum ahead of the World Cup, which will be held in United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.