The island nation of Cape Verde has made football history after qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Blue Sharks beat Eswatini 3-0 at home on Sunday to secure top spot in their group and a ticket to next year’s finals.
Cape Verde, with a population of just under 525,000, becomes the second-smallest nation ever to qualify for the tournament, after Iceland.
The win came through goals from Dailon Livramento, Willy Semedo, and veteran defender Stopira. Livramento opened the scoring early in the second half, Semedo added a quick second, and Stopira sealed the victory in stoppage time.
The result sent fans at the National Stadium in Praia into wild celebration as the players and supporters marked a moment that will go down in the nation’s sporting history.
Cape Verde, an archipelago of ten islands off the west coast of Africa, gained independence from Portugal in 1975. The country made its first attempt to qualify for the World Cup in 2002.
Over the years, the Blue Sharks have built a reputation for resilience, reaching the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals in 2013 and again in 2023. They currently rank 70th in the world.
President Jose Maria Neves attended the match and praised the players for their determination.
“It’s a proud day for Cape Verde,” he said. “This team has shown what is possible through hard work and belief.”
With Africa now having nine automatic qualification spots at the expanded 48-team World Cup, Cape Verde joins five other African teams who have already qualified.
Meanwhile, Cameroon — a five-time African champion — must now try to qualify through the play-offs after failing to win key away games.
The Blue Sharks will now prepare to represent their small island nation on football’s biggest stage when the 2026 World Cup kicks off across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
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