Spain take on Albania having already secured their place in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 and clinched the top spot in Group B ahead of their match at the Merkur-Spiel Arena in Dusseldorf.
Following a commanding 3-0 victory over Croatia and a 1-0 win against reigning champions Italy, La Roja could use this game to rest key players ahead of the knockout stages.
Albania, on the other hand, managed to salvage a point with a last-minute 2-2 draw against Croatia, positioning them third in the group and still in with a chance of making the next phase.
They still have a shot at overtaking Italy for second place, but need an upset and win against a La Roja side who have been impressive so far. A draw would not suffice if Croatia were to defeat Italy simultaneously in Leipzig.
The Sporting News is following Albania vs. Spain live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.
MORE: Euro 2024 schedule and results, updated LIVE | Who will win Euro 2024? Latest odds and predictions | How to watch all the Euro 2024 action
Spain vs. Albania live score
| 1st Half | Goal scorers | |
| Albania | 0 | |
| Spain | 1 | Torres 13′ |
Venue: Merkur Spiel-Arena (Dusseldorf)
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)
Confirmed lineups:
Albania (4-2-3-1, right to left): Strakosha (GK) — Balliu, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj — Asllani, Ramadani — Asani, Laci, Bajrami — Manaj.
Spain (4-2-3-1, right to left): Raya (GK) — Navas, Vivian, Laporte, Grimaldo — Merino, Zubimendi — Torres, Olmo, Oyarzabal — Joselu.
MORE: Who will win Euro 2024 Golden Boot?
Spain vs. Albania live updates, highlights from Euro 2024
21 mins: WIDE! Merino wins the ball in midfield and Oyarzabal plays it forward to Olmo. He shoots ambitiously from 20 yards, but can only pull his effort across the face and behind for a goal-kick!
20 mins: Spain spring into action having kept possession for what seemed an age. Olmo tries a deft flick into the path of Joselu on the edge of the box, but Abet steps across in cover to get there first and clear.
17 mins: Albania move the ball into Spain’s box as Manaj holds it up well. He combines with Balliu and Laci to his right, but the latter’s ball into the area is cut out and Spain will look to counter.
13 mins: GOAL – Spain 1-0 Albania! A gorgeous opening goal from La Roja! A long pass out of defence is then threaded in behind Albania by Olmo, and Torres doesn’t even break stride to arrive onto the ball at speed and slot it into the bottom corner off the base of the far post!
Spain’s quality shows, and they’re heading for the Round of 16 with their 100 per cent record intact!
12 mins: OVER! Another cross, this time from Grimaldo on the left, is latched onto by Joselu, whose glancing header whistles just over the top!
11 mins: SAVED! A great early chance for Spain as Navas latches onto Olmo’s flicks and crosses from the byline. Merino makes a late run into the box to meet his cross from the byline, but Strakosha repositions himself well to make a crucial save in the centre of the goal!
8 mins: Zubimendi’s cross-field pass is played out wide to Navas on the right. He looks for fellow veteran Joselu with a looping ball into the middle, but the Real Madrid striker can’t get there ahead of Albanian captain Djimsiti.
5 mins: Bajrami takes on Navas down the left and drills a low cross into the middle, which ricochets off the stand-in Spain captain and deflects behind for the game’s first corner!
3 mins: Spain have won all eight of their previous encounters with Albania, their best 100 per cent record against any opponent alongside Liechtenstein and Malta, whom they’ve also faced and beaten on eight occasions [Opta].
Kickoff: Manaj kicks the game off for Albania, and the final round of matches in Group B is up and running in Dusseldorf!
5 mins before kickoff: Here come the teams! Albania in their deep red jerseys trudge out onto the pitch opposite their Spanish counterparts draped in light yellow, as we get ready for the respective national anthems with kickoff just moments away!
10 mins before kickoff: Not long to go now, so it’s worth remembering that Italy and Croatia are facing off at the exact same time in Group B’s other fixture.
Having both been beaten by Spain so far, the ball is in Italy’s court having defeated Albania 2-1 in their opening match. Croatia must better Albania’s result to finish above them in the group, while Italy also need at least a draw to book their place in the last 16.
Aymeric Laporte is the only Spanish player to keep his place in the side this evening from the team that played against Italy.
Luis de la Fuente Castillo has made 10 changes. 🔄#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/MgYZeTvKUf
— Play Squawka Selector for Free (@Squawka_Live) June 24, 2024
20 mins before kickoff: The Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf is packed to the rafters as two contrasting seas of red get ready for the fast-approaching kickoff. It could be the last of Albania we see in this tournament, but the team and their loyal fans will be confident of producing the upset they need against this new-look Spanish side.
40 mins before kickoff: Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente rings changes aplenty to his starting XI with 10 in total —former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte being the only player to keep his place from the 1-0 win over Italy.
For Albania, there’s only one alteration though, with Ivan Balliu replacing Elseid Hysaj at right-back ahead of this must-win encounter for the Eastern European nation!
🇪🇸 Spain make 10 changes to their line-up#EURO2024 | #ALBESP pic.twitter.com/nbVKo4WURl
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 24, 2024
1 hour before kickoff: La Roja’s permutations for this game are fairly straight-forward: avoid defeat and top Group B. Their 100 per cent record so far suggests that won’t be an issue, but they face an Albania side with everything to play for.
Currently sat third thanks to having a better goal difference than Croatia, Albania really need a victory to stand any chance of reaching the last 16, regardless of what goes on in the corresponding match between Italy and Croatia.
1 hour 20 mins before kickoff: Albania have also given a brilliant account of themselves so far, but are yet to taste victory after two matches played.
They scored inside 23 seconds to lead 1-0 in their opening match against Italy, but the holders soon came back to turn things around and win 2-1 in Dortmund. The Red and Blacks scored early against Croatia too, and after being hit with a second-half comeback which had them trailing 2-1 again, produced one of their own to rally and equalise in the sixth minute of added time.
3 – Spain will be looking to win their opening three games of a UEFA European Championship tournament for just a second time, having previously done so in 2008 – an edition they would go on to win (1-0 v Germany in the final). Dream. pic.twitter.com/R77hCCxWJg
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 24, 2024
1 hour 40 mins before kickoff: Spain have arguably been the most impressive of all the sides we’ve seen at Euro 2024 so far, and are one of only two sides still holding 100 per cent records with the final round of group games well underway.
A 3-0 demolition of Croatia, with all goals scored in the first half, was one hell of an early statement, and although they weren’t anywhere near as clinical against Italy last time out, La Roja were still more than worthy winners as they defeated the defending champions 1-0.
2 hours before kickoff: Welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of Albania vs. Spain. With Spain already topping the group, Lamine Yamal is expected to be rested today but that won’t stop us taking a look at these incredible numbers ahead of this Group B clash.
Lamine Yamal at Euro 2024 so far:
🎯joint-most big chances created – 3
⚡️2nd most successful dribbles – 7
16 years of age. An incredible mix of a dribbler and creator. 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/xYGnDGW5YF
— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) June 23, 2024
Spain vs. Albania kickoff time
This Euro 2024 match kicks off from Merkur-Spiel Arena on Monday, June 24 at 9:00 p.m. local time in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA/Canada | Mon, Jun. 24 | 3 p.m. ET |
| USA/Canada | Mon, Jun. 24 | 12 p.m. PT |
| UK | Mon, Jun. 24 | 8 p.m. BST |
| Australia | Mon, Jun. 25 | 5 a.m. AEST |
| India | Mon, Jun. 25 | 12:30 a.m. IST |
Euro 2024 Group B standings
| Pos | Team | GP | Pts | W-D-L | GD |
| 1. | Spain (Q) | 2 | 6 | 2-0-0 | +4 |
| 2. | Italy | 2 | 3 | 1-0-1 | 0 |
| 3. | Albania | 2 | 1 | 0-1-1 | -1 |
| 4. | Croatia | 2 | 1 | 0-1-1 | -3 |
Q = Qualified for Round of 16
Spain vs. Albania lineups, team news, starting 11
Albania head coach Sylvinho is has a fully fit contingent at his disposal ahead of this pivotal Euro 2024 Group B clash against Spain in Dusseldorf.
He is, however, without forward Mirlind Daku after he was suspended by UEFA for two games after using a megaphone to lead fans in chanting offensive remarks against Macedonia and Serbia at the European Championship.
Despite his exploits as a substitute in Albania’s previous game, veteran Klaus Gjasula has been left on the bench with Kristjan Asllani and Ylber Ramadani selected as first-choice options in the double-pivot; fellow goalscorer Qazim Laci should continue in an advanced midfield role.
Armando Broja drops to the bench again with Rey Manaj preferred to lead the line up front, and he’ll be flanked from either side by Jasir Asani and Nedim Bajrami.
Albania confirmed starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Strakosha (GK) — Balliu, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj — Asllani, Ramadani — Asani, Laci, Bajrami — Manaj.
Subs (14): E. Berisha (GK), Kastrati (GK), Hysaj, Gjasula, Broja, Mihaj, Seferi, M. Berisha, Muci, Ismajli, Abrashi, Kumbulla, Aliji, Hoxha.
Injured: None
Suspended: Daku (two matches)
Having already guaranteed their progression to the last 16, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente makes several changes to his starting XI, although one of those is an enforced alteration after Rodri picked up his second booking of the competition against Italy.
Real Madrid centre-back Nacho (muscular injury) is sideline, but Real Betis forward Ayoze Perez (hamstring) has been passed fit to appear on the bench following a late examination.
Aymeric Laporte returned from his own injury absence last time out and is keeps his place at centre-half alongside Dani Vivian, with Robin Le Normand, only one booking away from a single-match ban, amongst the substitutes
David Raya replaces Unai Simon in between the sticks to make his first appearance at a major tournament, while Alejandro Grimaldo and 38-year-old veteran Jesus Navas line up in the fullback positions — the latter is the last remaining member of La Roja’s golden generation in the current squad.
Martin Zubimendi fills in for Rodri at the base of midfield alongside his Real Sociedad teammate Mikel Merino, while a new-look attack Spanish features Ferran Torres and Mikel Oyarzabal either side of number 10 Dani Olmo, as Joselu plays through the middle as a lone striker.
Spain confirmed starting lineup (4-3-3): Raya (GK) — Navas, Vivian, Laporte, Grimaldo — Merino, Zubimendi — Torres, Olmo, Oyarzabal — Joselu.
Subs (13): Remiro (GK), Simon (GK), Carvajal, Le Normand, Morata, Ruiz, Baena, Williams, Yamal, Pedri, Cucurella, Lopez, Perez.
Injured: Nacho (muscle)
Suspended: Rodri
Spain vs. Albania live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Euro 2024 match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | FS1 | Fubo, Sling, Fox Sports app/website, ViX |
| Canada | TSN2, TVA Sports 2 | TVA+ |
| UK | BBC Two | iPlayer and BBC Sport website |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| India | Sony Ten 2, 3 | JioTV, Sony LIV |
