Cape Verde has made its historic debut in the World Cup after defeating Eswatini 3-0 in the final game of their group for the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup on Monday.
The volcanic island nation, located off Africa’s western shores, has secured one of nine automatic slots for the continent. This makes Cape Verde the smallest country by population to qualify for the tournament, following Iceland’s participation in 2018.
Dailon Livramento netted a goal in the 48th minute, followed by Willy Semedo in the 54th minute, and Stopira sealed the win by scoring during stoppage time.
The Blue Sharks wrapped up the group with a lead of four points over Cameroon, which managed a goalless draw with Angola at home.
Cape Verde, with a population of around 525,000, entered needing a win to qualify but could have advanced even with a loss if Cameroon did not defeat Angola.
Nine group champions gain automatic entry to the World Cup, while the four best runners-up will compete in a mini tournament featuring two semifinals and a final in November. Cameroon is still in contention for a runner-up spot.
The winner of this playoff will then face teams from Asia, CONCACAF, South America, and Oceania in FIFA’s playoff tournament.
FIFA reported that tickets for the Cape Verde game sold out in record time, prompting the government to declare a half-day holiday for citizens to witness the match.
The 2026 World Cup will feature an expanded lineup of 48 teams, up from the previous 32.
In other news from Group D, Mauritius faced Libya in a goalless draw. Meanwhile, in Group C, Lesotho triumphed over Zimbabwe with a score of 1-0 at home.