Cape Verde has secured its first-ever berth in the World Cup, triumphing over Eswatini with a 3-0 victory to top their group in the African qualifying rounds for the 2026 World Cup on Monday.
This archipelago of volcanic islands, located off the west coast of Africa, claimed one of the nine automatic qualification spots available for teams from the continent. With a population of approximately 525,000, Cape Verde will be the second smallest nation by population to compete in the tournament, following Iceland’s participation in 2018.
Dailon Livramento netted a goal in the 48th minute, with Willy Semedo adding another in the 54th. Stopira concluded the scoring with a goal during stoppage time, ensuring a home victory and first place in Group D.
The Blue Sharks finished the qualifying campaign four points ahead of Cameroon, who only managed a goalless draw at home against Angola.
Needing a win to secure their place, Cape Verde could have still qualified even with a loss as long as Cameroon failed to win their match against Angola.
The nine group winners automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the four best runners-up will compete in a mini-tournament featuring two semifinals and a final in November. Cameroon still has a chance to qualify as a runner-up.
The playoff champion will join the FIFA playoff tournament to face teams from Asia, CONCACAF, South America, and Oceania.
According to FIFA, tickets for the Cape Verde match were sold out quickly, and the government declared a half-day holiday across the nation so citizens could watch the clash.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature an expanded lineup of 48 teams, up from the previous 32.
In another Group D match, Mauritius and Libya ended in a 0-0 draw. In Group C, Lesotho bested Zimbabwe with a 1-0 win on their home turf.
Tunisia Finishes Qualifying with a Win
Already qualified for the World Cup, Tunisia wrapped up their African qualifying campaign with a convincing 3-0 home win against Namibia.
Ali Abdi converted a penalty kick in the 28th minute, followed by second-half goals from Hannibal Mejbri and Ferjani Sassi.
Tunisia finished first in Group H with 28 points from 10 matches, finishing a substantial 13 points ahead of Namibia, who placed second.
In Group H, Equatorial Guinea played Liberia to a 1-1 draw at home, while last-placed Sao Tome and Principe notched their first win in the group by defeating Malawi 1-0.
Additionally, in Group B, South Sudan ended in a 0-0 draw against visiting Togo.
On Sunday, Ghana, a quarterfinalist in 2010, secured its place as the fifth African nation to qualify for next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, joining Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco.