WEMBLEY welcomes the new world champions on Saturday, with Spain wearing two stars on their shirts for the first time. England finished third this summer and still owe them for the Euro 2024 final.
England return for the first time since beating France 6-4 in the World Cup third-place play-off, their best World Cup finish since 1966, after Thomas Tuchel‘s side went out 2-1 to Argentina in the semi-final.
Tuchel has since lost Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Tino Livramento to injury, calling up James Garner and Morgan Gibbs-White. Trent Alexander-Arnold returns at right-back.
Spain are world champions for a second time after beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time in New Jersey, adding the World Cup to the Euros and Nations League already won under Luis de la Fuente.
He has kept the core together, with Lamine Yamal, Pedri and captain Rodri all included, though Marcos Llorente has retired from international football and Joan Garcia misses out injured.
With the world champions at Wembley and Tuchel’s midfield rebuilt on the fly, new punters can get involved by claiming a huge 300% welcome offer using our bet365 bonus code. Now, let’s check out all the key details before the opening whistle.
The offer for England vs Spain
Sign up prior to the opening whistle to claim a flexible £30 free bets bundle when you stake just £10 on a qualifying wager.
- Bet £5 > Get £15 in Free Bets
- Bet £10 > Get £30 in Free Bets
Simply click our link and the bet365 bonus code SUN365 will be applied automatically.
Please note that although adding the bonus code is optional, doing so will not increase the final amount of free bets deposited into your wallet.
The betting angle: Can a patched-up England midfield live with the world champions?
Rice is the absence England will feel most. He anchored the midfield throughout the World Cup, and without him or Mainoo, Tuchel has to rebuild the base of his side against the best possession team on the planet, with Alex Scott and the late call-up Garner the likeliest options. Jude Bellingham will be asked to do far more than arrive late in the box.
Spain will keep the ball. Rodri and Pedri set the tempo while Yamal and Nico Williams stretch the pitch from both flanks, which is how they beat England in Berlin two summers ago. De la Fuente has kept 22 of his World Cup squad, so there is no rebuild to exploit.
England still carry a threat. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka give them a route to goal against anyone, and both teams scored in six of England’s eight games at the World Cup. Against a side who will have most of the ball, that points to both goalkeepers being beaten rather than a shut-out either way.
Expect Spain to control it and find a way through a reshaped England midfield, with Kane and Saka making sure the world champions leave without a clean sheet.
- Our tip: Both Teams to Score
- The longshot: Spain to win 2-1 & Harry Kane to score anytime
How to use the bet365 bonus code
- Click here to navigate to the bet365 registration page.
- Fill in your details, and the bet365 bonus code will be automatically applied if you follow our link.
- Add £5 or £10 to your wallet using a debit card (it’s best to hold off on using Apple Pay or PayPal for this initial transaction to guarantee your bonus eligibility).
- Place a qualifying wager on England vs Spain at odds of 1/5 (1.20) or higher.
- Once your wager is settled, bet365 will credit your account with triple your deposit amount in Free Bets.
📺 How to watch England vs Spain
- Date: Saturday, 26th September, 2026
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST
- Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
- Competition: UEFA Nations League, League A Group 3
- TV Channel: ITV1, ITVX (STV in Scotland)
- Highlights: ITVX, YouTube
Read more of our 2026/27 football season tips and predictions
- Premier League winner odds 2026/27
- Premier League top scorer odds 2026/27
- Premier League relegation odds 2026/27
- Champions League winner odds 2026/27
- Championship promotion odds 2026/27
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – gamcare.org.uk
Read our guide on responsible gambling practices.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
