Cape Verde qualifies for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in history

Cape Verde’s national football team has sensationally secured a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reaching the planet’s biggest football tournament for the first time in its history. The island nation, with a population of just around 600,000, won its qualifying group ahead of Cameroon, Libya, Angola, Mauritius, and Eswatini.

The decisive moment came in the final round, where Cape Verde confidently defeated Eswatini 3–0. The goals were scored by Willy Semedo, Rocha Livramento, and Stopira. Thanks to this victory, the “Blue Sharks” finished 4 points ahead of Cameroon in Group D. Cameroon, meanwhile, drew with Angola and will now try to qualify for the World Cup through the playoffs.

The trip to the World Cup will be a historic milestone for Cape Verde and a major achievement for African football.

So far, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Senegal, and Ghana have already secured their places at the 2026 World Cup, while Benin and Ivory Coast continue to fight for qualification.