Spain's Roja Reloaded: November Squad Sets Sights on a World Cup 2026 Dream
7 November 2025
Spain's November Squad and World Cup 2026 Quest
Spain's national team, managed by Luis de la Fuente, announced the Roja's squad for the November training camp as it eyes a crucial window in the European qualifiers for 2026.
The Spaniards prepare for two matches this month, travelling to Georgia and hosting Turkey in Seville on the 15th and 18th of November, the final fixtures of Group Five in the European qualifiers for the World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Those two games are pivotal in Spain’s bid to reach the World Cup finals next summer.
Currently leading Group Five, Spain sit three points clear of Turkey, aiming to seal direct qualification by finishing top of the group.
Spain can clinch direct World Cup 2026 qualification by beating Georgia, provided Turkey do not beat Bulgaria in Round 5; otherwise, qualification would go to the final round against Turkey.
Coach Luis de la Fuente named 26 players for November, recalling Lamine Yamal of Barcelona and a Madrid-based defender after injuries kept them out last month, with Pablo Fornals also called up after a long absence.
The Barcelona duo Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo also return after missing last month, while teammate Pedri is absent due to a muscular injury suffered during the recent Clasico defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, which Madrid won 2-1, and where a Barcelona star also received a late red card.
Veteran Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) is sidelined again with a knee issue, and Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao) and Robin Le Normand (Atlético Madrid) are likewise unavailable.
AS reports that going forward, Spain's squad for 2026 could undergo further changes, remaining very similar to the Euro 2024-winning side from Germany. The paper even suggests possible tweaks beyond those mentioned if FIFA expands squads from 26 to 30 players, something many national-team coaches have requested with the World Cup expanding to 48 teams in 2026.
AS notes that four years ago there were 64 World Cup matches; next summer’s edition could rise to 104, so larger squads make sense.
Spain's November 2025 training camp squad
Goalkeepers: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad)
Defenders: Aymeric Laporte and Marc Vivian (Athletic Bilbao), Marcos Llorente (Atlético Madrid), Din Huisen (Real Madrid), Pau Kobarci (Barcelona), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Alex Garcia (Bayer Leverkusen), Pablo Barrios and Alex Baena (Atlético Madrid), Pablo Fornals (Real Betis)
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Yeremi Pino (Crystal Palace), Fermin Lopez (Barcelona), Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Samu Omoroduyon (Porto), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo)
Spain’s World Cup 2026 qualifying results
Spain, the 2010 World Cup winner, now leads Group Five with a perfect 12-point tally from four wins. Under De la Fuente, the Roja began qualifying with two away wins over Bulgaria and Turkey in September and then beat Georgia and Bulgaria at home in October.
Meantime, Mikel Merino tops Spain’s scoring chart in the qualifiers with six goals for Arsenal, followed by Mikel Oyarzabal with three, then two for Pedri, and one each for Ferran Torres, Marc Cucurella, and Yeremi Pino.
In short, the November window could be pivotal for Spain’s World Cup bid, with injuries and form shaping the final squad choices. And if you’re worried about the depth chart, remember: in football, as in life, you can never have too many substitutes—except during an actual match day, where you’ll have to decide quickly without replays.
