Cape Verde have written one of African football’s most remarkable stories by qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, becoming the second-smallest nation ever to reach the global finals.
The Blue Sharks sealed their historic berth with a commanding 3-0 victory over Eswatini in Praia, a result that secured top spot in their qualifying group ahead of continental giants Cameroon.
Dailon Livramento broke the deadlock early in the second half, bundling home a loose ball from close range before Willy Semedo doubled the lead with a crisp volley. Veteran defender Stopira added a third in stoppage time, sparking scenes of wild celebration inside the 15,000-capacity National Stadium.
An archipelago of ten islands off the West African coast, Cape Verde has a population of just under 525,000 and only gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Despite their size, the team has long punched above its weight, reaching the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in both 2013 and 2023, and currently ranking 70th in the world.
Only Iceland, who qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, has achieved the feat with a smaller population.
Cape Verde’s qualification campaign was built on consistency and resilience. A 1-0 win over Cameroon last month had put them in control of Group D, needing just one more victory to book their ticket to Canada, Mexico and the United States. Their first chance slipped away after a dramatic 3-3 draw in Libya, where they were denied a stoppage-time winner by a contentious offside call.
But against Eswatini, they made no mistake. President José Maria Neves watched from the stands as the team overcame a nervous first half to seal a place in football’s most prestigious tournament. A dream decades in the making.
