Georgia 0-4 Spain: Report, result, goals as European champions all but confirm 2026 World Cup place
Read a report from Georgia vs Spain in World Cup qualifying
Spain are all but certain to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after thrashing Georgia 4-0, despite the absence of Lamine Yamal following the Barcelona star’s groin surgery.
La Roja’s 100 percent record in Group E was never in doubt as they swept aside their hosts in Tbilisi, with a double from Mikel Oyarzabal and goals from Martin Zubimendi and Ferran Torres securing an emphatic victory.
With Turkey also victorious against Bulgaria, Spain are not quite sure of qualification for the finals.
But they have a three-point lead over Turkey, whom they face on Tuesday, with their goal difference superior by 15 goals.
Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot in 11th minute, converting after a VAR check vindicated Spain appeals for handball.
Alex Baena struck the post seven minutes later before Zubimendi doubled Spain’s advantage with a chipped finish after he was played through by Fabian Ruiz.
Oyarzabal turned provider when he slipped in Torres to convert from close range 11 minutes before half-time, and the same pair combined again to put the game beyond doubt 18 minutes into the second half.
This time Torres was the creator, his cross headed in off the post by Oyarzabal, whose second took his tally in qualifying to five goals.
Spain continued to push to make the scoreline more emphatic, with Baena drawing a fine save from Giorgi Mamardashvili late on as the European champions thrived even with Yamal away from the team in a sparkling demonstration of their strength in depth.
Table of Contents
Georgia team vs Spain
Georgia starting XI: Mamardashvili; Gocholeishvili, Lochoshvili, Goglichidze, Mamuchashvili; Tabatadze, Mekvabishvili, Kiteishvili; Davitashvili, Zivzivadze, Kvaratskheila.
Georgia substitutes: Abuashvili, Gugueshashvili, Guliashvili, Kashia, Kereselidze, Kvernadze, Kvilitaia, Lominadze, Narimanidze, Nonikashvili, Tsitaishvili.
Spain team vs Georgia
Spain starting XI: Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Zubimendi, Ruiz, Merino; Baena, Torres, Oyarzabal.
Spain substitutes: Barrios, Fornals, Garcia, Grimaldo, Iglesias, Llorente, Lopez, Olmo, Pino, Raya, Remiro, Vivian.
2026 World Cup playoffs dates
The top team from each of the 12 European Qualifier groups proceeds automatically to the finals, which will be expanded to 48 teams.
The 12 runners-up in each group will join four Nations League teams in the two-legged play-off ties, which will be drawn from pots based on teams’ records during the campaign and take place on March 26 and 31 2026.
When is the draw for the 2026 World Cup finals?
The draw for the World Cup finals will take place on December 5 2025 at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, with the ceremony starting at 17:00 GMT (12:00 ET/ 09:00 PT).
The tournament runs from June 11 until July 19 2026.