Saudi Arabia faces Cape Verde in Group H at the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, live from Houston Stadium on June 26, 2026. Here’s how to watch live on TV.
- Time: 8:00 PM ET
- Location: Houston Stadium, Houston, TX
- TV Channels: Universo
How to Watch Saudi Arabia vs. Cape Verde on June 26, 2026
You can watch Cape Verde take on Saudi Arabia live on DIRECTV on Universo on June 26, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.
Saudi Arabia (0-1-1) vs. Cape Verde (0-2-0) — Group H Match Preview
Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde meet at Houston Stadium in a Group H finale that is as high-stakes as they get for two sides still searching for their first victory of the tournament — Saudi Arabia sit on 1 point with a draw and a loss, while Cape Verde, making their World Cup debut, have two points after drawing both of their opening matches.
Saudi Arabia are at their 7th World Cup and their 3rd consecutive, a veteran presence in the tournament even if the squad, almost entirely domestic, operates with less star power than some previous editions; their best World Cup finish was a Round of 16 exit on debut in 1994, and they arrive following a coaching upheaval that saw Herve Renard sacked and replaced by Georgios Donis just weeks before the tournament opened.
Cape Verde’s story is the more striking one: they are one of four debutants at this 48-team edition, a diaspora-built squad drawn from players across 14 countries who topped their CAF qualifying group ahead of Cameroon and then, in their World Cup opener against Spain, held the reigning European champions to a 0-0 draw to claim a first-ever World Cup point. Saudi Arabia’s pre-tournament form included a convincing 3-0 win over Puerto Rico and a 0-0 draw with Senegal, while Cape Verde beat Finland 1-1 in a friendly before arriving and defeating Serbia 3-0 in their final preparation match. Abdulelah Al-Amri has been Saudi Arabia’s most productive tournament player so far, and Saudi Arabia need at least a point to keep any hope alive of advancing from the group alongside Spain.
National TV
Universo
Streaming
Tubi, Peacock, fuboTV
What Time is the Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia Match Today?
The Saudi Arabia vs. Cape Verde match starts at 8:00 PM ET.
Where Can I Watch Saudi Arabia vs. Cape Verde?
You can watch Saudi Arabia vs. Cape Verde on Universo, Tubi, Peacock and fuboTV.
Players to Watch: Saudi Arabia vs. Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia
Abdulelah Al-Amri — Defender. Al-Amri has been Saudi Arabia’s standout performer in this tournament so far, having scored 1 goal in 2 appearances — a striking output from a defensive position that speaks to how Saudi Arabia generate threat from set pieces and advancing runs. He is one of the few domestic-league Saudi players who has genuinely imposed himself at this level.
Salem Al-Dawsari — Midfielder. The veteran winger is perhaps the best-known Saudi Arabia player internationally, carrying the memory of the goal against Argentina at Qatar 2022 that briefly suggested an upset for the ages. He leads Saudi Arabia’s shot-creating work and will be the primary architect against Cape Verde’s organized, compact defending.
Saud Abdulhamid — Defender. With 55 accurate passes in 2 appearances — the most of any Saudi Arabia player — Abdulhamid is the distributor from deep who gives Saudi Arabia their best chance of sustaining possession and building pressure through the thirds. His passing range and defensive positioning make him one of the more technically complete players in the squad.
Cape Verde
Kevin Pina — Midfielder. Pina has scored 1 goal in 2 World Cup appearances, a debut tournament contribution that caps a pre-tournament build shaped by Cape Verde’s CAF qualifying campaign that knocked out Cameroon. He is the creative presence behind Cape Verde’s attack, comfortable with the ball in tight spaces, and the kind of player who makes the debutant squad more than just defensively organized.
Hélio Varela — Forward. Varela scored 1 goal in 1 appearance during this tournament — a debut impact that illustrates Cape Verde’s ability to produce moments in attack despite their defensive priorities. His directness and finishing instinct give Cape Verde an outlet that Saudi Arabia cannot afford to ignore.
Ryan Mendes — Forward. Mendes leads Cape Verde in total shots with 3 across the tournament so far, a figure that places him as the side’s most active attacking presence in terms of attempts on goal. His movement and willingness to run at defenders has been consistent across both matches and will be the mechanism Cape Verde use to test the Saudi Arabia backline.
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