Cape Verde, a small nation of islands off the western coast of Africa, does not produce any oil but still has made history. Yes, it has qualified for the 2026 World Cup! Cape Verde, a country of about half a million people, was seeking an emphatic win to assure passage to their first ever appearance at the tournament. They achieved that in style with a breathtaking 3-0 thrashing of Eswatini. Cape Verde would be making their World Cup debut! With this historic feat, it now ranks as the second smallest country by population ever to play in the prestigious tournament.
The game on [insert date] would be very important for Cape Verde’s hopes. The team was determined not to leave anything up to chance. The fate of their qualification lay in their own hands, regardless of what happened in Cameroon’s match against Angola. Cape Verde finished first in their group at the African qualifying tournament. That victory secured them one of the nine automatic spots given to the continent.
Plus, the 2026 men’s World Cup will see an expanded field. It will be composed of 48 teams, an expansion from the previous 32. For teams like Cape Verde, this change has created exciting new opportunities. Last time, they wouldn’t have made it under the previous format. Their accomplishment is nothing short of amazing. In 2018, Iceland became the first country with a population under 350,000 to qualify.
All the attention leading up to Cape Verde’s qualification was electric across the country. To facilitate this, the government even declared a half-day holiday, making sure that all citizens could be at home and watch the decisive match. The game’s tickets sold out in less than three hours, as fans welcomed their team to uncharted waters with open arms and fervent enthusiasm. The celebratory win left players overwhelmed with excitement. Besides boosting Cape Verde’s external image, it sparked a feeling of national pride in every Cape Verdean.
With the World Cup just around the corner, Cape Verde’s island warriors get ready to surprise the world and achieve football greatness on the big stage. Their qualification process underscores not only their athletic talent but the development of football in smaller countries. Cameroon still have life left and can qualify as a second-place finisher in an unpredictable mini-tournament later this year. On the other hand, Cape Verde displays incredible grit and talent.
