World No. 2 Spain, in addition to its 26-man squad, has a nine-player sparring list until the match against Iraq.

Spain is ranked second by FIFA, only behind France. The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico is about to start next month, and every top team has announced its 26-player squad. Spain's 26-man roster has also been revealed, creating a new talking point: this is the first time in Spain's World Cup history that no Real Madrid player is included.

In addition to the 26 official players, Spain's World Cup roster includes a sparring list of nine players. These nine will train with the national team until just before the World Cup, specifically before the friendly match Spain vs. Iraq.

The nine-player sparring list for Spain is as follows:Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Román; Real Sociedad defenders Jon Martín and Sergio Gómez, Celta defender Javi Rodríguez; Real Sociedad midfielder Beñat Turrientes, Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra, Barcelona midfielder Bernal; Real Madrid forward Gonzalo, Como forward Jesús Rodríguez.

Fans joked about this, saying Spanish football is so rich in talent that it even has a sparring list. Personally, I think this is a professional approach. Adding nine sparring players gives Spain more ample personnel for internal drills, allowing better preparation for the World Cup.