The island nation of Cape Verde secured a historic place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Eswatini 3-0 on Monday.
The victory confirmed the “Blue Sharks” as Group D winners, stunning continental powerhouse Cameroon and earning the distinction of the second-smallest country by population to ever qualify for the tournament.
The hosts broke a nervy 0-0 half-time deadlock early in the second period with goals from Dailon Livramento (48′) and Willy Semedo (54′). Veteran defender Stopira sealed the monumental win in stoppage time.
With a population of just under 525,000, only Iceland (2018) is a smaller nation to have qualified. This success highlights the team’s effective strategy of utilizing players from the diaspora and benefiting from the stability provided by long-serving coach Bubista.
Cape Verde now joins Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, and Ghana as the sixth African team to book a ticket to the finals.
Meanwhile, five-time Africa Cup of Nations winners Cameroon must now navigate a play-off path to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
