The Spain national team will play the 2018 World Cup unless there is a catastrophe. After the victories against Italy and Liechtenstein, Lopetegui's team sits as the sole leader, with 22 points and a goal difference of +29. In this way, the Italian team is three points behind and it seems that they won't be able to catch up with La Roja in Group G of the European qualifiers.
Guide to the 2018 World Cup Russia: tickets, draw, qualified teams, and everything you need to know
In case of a tie in points, the tiebreaker criteria are the best goal difference in all group matches, the highest number of goals scored, and as a third criterion, the highest number of points obtained in the matches between the teams in question. Since Italy has a +12 goal difference, Spain could even afford to lose one of the remaining two matches.
Spain has two games left: Albania and Israel. Italy, on the other hand, has matches against Macedonia and Albania. Spain might be able to secure their place in the World Cup by winning just one of the remaining matches, considering that if they lose one, Italy would have to win both matches and surpass the goal difference they currently have with Spain, which is +17.
Standings
| GOALS FOR | GOALS AGAINST | GOAL DIFFERENCE | POINTS | |
| Spain | 32 | 3 | +29 | 22 |
| Italy | 19 | 7 | +12 | 19 |
However, if Spain wins both matches or achieves one victory and one draw, they will have definitively secured their place in the 2018 World Cup after overcoming a tough group with Italy as their main rival.
Spain qualifies if:
| Wins both matches against Albania and Israel | Even if Italy wins both matches |
| Wins one match and draws the other | Even if Italy wins both matches |
| Wins one match and loses the other | Even if Italy wins both matches but doesn't surpass the +17 goal difference or Italy doesn't win both matches |