Cape Verde Secures Historic World Cup Berth

In a historic achievement, Cape Verde has qualified for the World Cup for the first time by winning its group in African qualifying for the 2026 tournament. The island nation, located off the western coast of Africa, secured one of the nine automatic spots allocated to the continent. With a population of about 525,000, Cape Verde will be the second-smallest country to compete in the tournament, following in the footsteps of Iceland in 2018.

The crucial victory came as Cape Verde defeated Eswatini 3-0, with goals from Dailon Livramento, Willy Semedo, and Stopira securing the win and first place in Group D. The Blue Sharks finished ahead of Cameroon, who could only manage a 0-0 draw with Angola.

The nine group winners automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the four best runners-up will compete in a mini-tournament in November to determine the final spots. Despite missing out on automatic qualification, Cameroon still has a chance to advance as a runner-up.

In response to the historic achievement, tickets for the Cape Verde match sold out quickly, prompting the government to declare a half-day holiday to allow citizens to watch the game. The 2026 World Cup will feature an expanded field of 48 teams, offering more nations the opportunity to showcase their talent on the global stage.

In other qualifying matches, Mauritius and Libya played to a 0-0 draw in Group D, while Lesotho secured a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe in Group C. The road to the World Cup continues for Cape Verde, as they now prepare to represent their nation on the world stage for the first time.

• Reporting by The Associated Press.