Cape Verde Makes Debut at World Cup

Kathmandu. A small country, Cape Verde, is making its first appearance on the biggest stage of football. This island nation, which has already performed excellently at the African level many times, is entering the field to write a new chapter in the World Cup this time.

As one of the 10 representatives from the African continent, Cape Verde is participating in the 2026 World Cup to be held in North America. Famous for its blue ocean waters and white sandy beaches, Cape Verde is attracting the world's attention this summer due to football.

Historic Qualification Journey

Cape Verde, a group of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean, secured a place in the World Cup by performing excellently in the African qualifiers. In a tough group with strong teams like Cameroon and Angola, Cape Verde won 8 out of 10 matches. Winning all five home games without conceding a single goal was the main basis of their success.

Until the final day of the qualifiers, Cape Verde was two points ahead of Cameroon. In the end, they finished at the top of Group 'D' with 23 points, leaving Cameroon behind.

With a population of about 600,000 and an area of only 4,000 square kilometers, it is one of the smallest nations to qualify for the World Cup. Previously, small countries like Curacao and Iceland have also reached the World Cup.

Has Cape Verde Played in Big Tournaments?

Cape Verde has participated in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) four times. Reaching the quarterfinals in their first participation in 2013 was their best performance. In the 2023 edition, the team also reached the knockout stage.

They reached the final round for the 2022 World Cup but did not qualify. Cape Verde is ranked 69th in the FIFA rankings.

Group in the 2026 World Cup

Cape Verde is in Group 'H', where they will play against Spain (2010 champions), Uruguay (two-time winners), and Saudi Arabia. All matches are being held in the United States.

June 15: Spain vs. Cape Verde (Atlanta)

June 21: Uruguay vs. Cape Verde (Miami)

June 26: Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Houston)

Who is the Coach?

The team's head coach is Bubista (Pedro Lito Brito). He is also a former Cape Verde national player. Bubista has been in charge as head coach since 2020. Under his leadership, the team has reached the knockout stage in two consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, achieving historic World Cup qualification.

For his success, he was also declared the 'Coach of the Year' by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2025.

Key Players

The top scorer for Cape Verde in the qualifiers was Dilon Livramento, who scored 4 goals. Other important players include Logone Costa, Dini, Jamiro Monteiro, Willy Semedo, captain Ryan Mendes, goalkeeper Vozinha, and defender Roberto Lopez. The team's players are playing in various countries, including Portugal, the Netherlands, and the USA. Costa is associated with the Spanish club Villarreal.

Preparation and Friendly Matches

In March, Cape Verde played friendly matches against Chile and Finland in New Zealand. Although they lost 4-2 to Chile, they won 4-2 on penalties against Finland.

What Can Be Expected from Cape Verde?

Although Cape Verde is considered a relatively weaker team (underdog) in the World Cup, they cannot be underestimated. Due to their excellent performance in the African qualifiers, they have also started being known as 'giant killer' teams.

Coach Bubista says, 'We are a small country, but only small on the map... our heart is big.'

Cape Verde will now try to write a new history on the biggest stage of world football with this confidence.