Cape Verde have made history by qualifying for their first-ever FIFA World Cup after a commanding 3–0 win over Eswatini in Praia.
The result ensured the Blue Sharks topped Group D ahead of favourites Cameroon to become the 14th African nation to reach football’s biggest stage.
Rocha Livramento opened the scoring three minutes after the restart, before Willy Semedo doubled the lead with a fine volley.
Veteran defender Stopira sealed the memorable night in stoppage time, sparking wild celebrations at the 15,000-capacity Estádio Nacional.
A milestone for the island nation
An archipelago of ten islands in the Atlantic with a population of just over half a million, Cape Verde’s rise in football has been meteoric.
After debuting at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, the Blue Sharks have since featured in four editions, reaching the quarter-finals in 2023 narrowly losing to South Africa on penalties.
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Their qualification for the 2026 finals, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is a testament to years of steady progress and national unity.
Following in new footsteps
Cape Verde join Jordan and Uzbekistan as first-time qualifiers for the expanded 48-team World Cup.
They follow a select list of African countries to have graced the global stage Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia, Ghana, Algeria, Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo (as Zaire), Angola, and Togo.
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Cape Verde’s President José Maria Neves, who was among the jubilant crowd in Praia, praised the team’s “spirit and resilience”, describing the qualification as “a proud moment for every Cape Verdean.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Coach Bubista, in charge since 2020, dedicated the victory to “all the players who believed in the Cape Verde dream.”
The Blue Sharks will now await the World Cup draw scheduled for 4 December in Washington DC, as anticipation builds for their debut on the world stage.
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Cape Verde have become only the second-smallest nation ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup after Iceland in 2018 highlighting one of the most inspiring football stories on the continent.
