Cape Verde has made football history, defeating Eswatini 3-0 on Monday to secure their first-ever qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
The archipelago nation, situated off the coast of Senegal, has an estimated population of only 550,000, making it the smallest country in Africa—and one of the smallest globally—ever to reach football’s showpiece tournament.
Playing in front of a flag-waving crowd of 15,000 in Praia, the “Blue Sharks” dominated the second half of the qualifier. Dailon Livramento and Willy Semedo scored within the first nine minutes after the break with close-range tap-ins, before substitute Stopira added a third goal in added time.
The victory sealed Cape Verde’s top spot in Group D with 23 points, four ahead of the group’s historical powerhouse, Cameroon, who currently hold the African record for World Cup appearances.
A Diaspora-Powered Team
Cape Verde’s success relies heavily on players born outside the country to Cape Verdean parents or grandparents—a common strategy for small nations with large diasporas. Both goalscorers on the night, Livramento and Semedo, were born in Rotterdam and near Paris, respectively.
Their qualification is a significant recovery after a disappointing start to the 10-match campaign, which included a heavy 4-1 loss to Cameroon. However, the team, led by long-serving coach Pedro Leitao Brito (popularly known as Bubista), bounced back to win five consecutive qualifiers, including crucial victories against Angola and Cameroon.
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