Historic Cup qualification for Cape Verde

Cape Verde beat Eswatini 3-0 on Monday to secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup, booking its place in soccer's global showpiece for the very first time.

The team from an archipelago off the coast of Senegal with about 550,000 inhabitants becomes the second-least populous nation to reach the World Cup, after Iceland, with just over 350,000 people, qualified for Russia 2018.

"What a historic moment," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a video message. "Congratulations to everyone in Cape Verde for making the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Your flag will fly and your anthem will be heard at the greatest FIFA World Cup ever.

"Your work on football development in recent years has been incredible, and this is a moment where your stars will become global and power a new generation of football lovers across Cape Verde."

Cape Verde won Group D with 23 points, four more than Cameroon, which holds the African record for World Cup appearances with eight. Cameroon was held 0-0 by Angola in Yaounde.

"Giving this happiness to these people is enormous ... it's a victory for all the Cape Verdean people and, above all, a victory for those who fought for our independence," coach Pedro Brito told reporters.

"It's a special moment in this celebration of the 50th anniversary of our independence."

An emotional Vozinha, the 39-year-old goalkeeper, admitted: "I have been dreaming of this moment since I was a child.

"We knew we could do better (in the second half), and that's it ... it's time to celebrate."

After dominating the first half of the final-round qualifier, but seldom threatening to score, the Blue Sharks struck twice through Dailon Livramento and Willy Semedo in the first nine minutes after halftime, in front of a 15,000-strong, flag-waving crowd in Praia.

Livramento claimed his fourth goal of the 10-round qualifying campaign on 48 minutes and Semedo struck six minutes later. Both goals came from close-range tap-ins.

Cape Verde added a third goal in added time when Stopira, a substitute for Joao Paulo, pounced on a loose ball to score.

Cape Verde relies heavily on players born outside the nation to Cape Verdean parents or grandparents. Livramento was born in Rotterdam and Semedo near Paris.

Eswatini had come to the 10-island archipelago with little attacking ambition, adopting a 5-4-1 formation in front of goalkeeper Khanyakwezwe Shabalala.

'Too emotional'

But, after conceding twice, there was no way back for the team from southern Africa, which lost seven qualifiers and drew the other three.

"It's too emotional. I embrace all the Cape Verdean people, at home and in our great diaspora," said scorer Stopira.

Cape Verde captain and striker Ryan Mendes addedd: "Honestly, I don't have the words to describe this moment. I'm very, very happy."

Cape Verde spread the national team net wide, with three starters based in Portugal and one each from the United States, the Republic of Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Romania, Russia, the Netherlands, Turkiye and Cyprus.

The remarkable qualification of Cape Verde came after it made a disappointing start to the campaign, drawing 0-0 at home with Angola and slumping to a 4-1 loss away to Cameroon.

Those results left the Blue Sharks with four points from a possible nine, having won away to Eswatini in between.

But, after the match-day three loss in Yaounde, Cape Verde won five consecutive qualifiers, including crucial one-goal victories away to Angola and at home to Cameroon.

That left the islanders needing three points from their final two qualifiers this month, and a drama-filled 3-3 draw in Libya secured one before hosting Eswatini.

Last year, in the midst of the World Cup campaign, Cape Verde fared poorly in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, winning only one match of six and failing to secure a place at the tournament.

Despite flopping in a group from which Egypt and Botswana advanced, Cape Verdean officials retained faith in long-serving Brito.

After two stints as assistant coach of the national team and spells with five local clubs, the coach widely known as Bubista took charge of Cape Verde in 2020.

The 55-year-old former centerback, who represented his country 21 times, guided Cape Verde to successive AFCON tournaments, in Cameroon three years ago and Cote d'Ivoire last year.

It reached the knockout phase each time, making a last-16 exit in Cameroon, then, last year, losing a quarterfinal against South Africa on penalties, seeing four of its spotkicks saved.

Cameroon still alive

The nine group winners automatically qualify for the World Cup. The four best runners-up play in a mini-tournament of two semifinals and a final in November. Cameroon can still advance as a runner-up.

The repechage winner advances to FIFA's playoff tournament against opponents from Asia, CONCACAF, South America and Oceania.

Tickets for the Cape Verde match were sold in record time, according to FIFA, and the government declared a half-day holiday across the country so people could watch the game.

The 2026 World Cup will feature an expanded field of 48 teams, up from 32.

In the other Group D match, Mauritius and Libya drew 0-0.

In Group C, Lesotho defeated Zimbabwe 1-0 at home.

With its spot in the World Cup already secured, Tunisia closed its African qualifying run with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Namibia.

Ali Abdi converted a 28th-minute penalty kick and Hannibal Mejbri and Ferjani Sassi added second-half goals to secure Tunisia the best record in African qualifying.

Tunisia won Group H with 28 points from 10 matches, outscoring opponents 22-0. It dropped two points and finished 13 points ahead of second-placed Namibia.

Also in Group H, Equatorial Guinea drew with Liberia 1-1 at home, while last-placed Sao Tome and Principe beat Malawi 1-0 for its first win in the group — and first victory in the World Cup preliminaries in 10 years.

In Group B, South Sudan drew with visiting Togo 0-0.

Agencies