Cape Verde have completed one of the biggest stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reaching the knockout stage for the first time in the nation’s history. The small Atlantic island nation, with a population of around 600,000, became the smallest country ever to qualify for the Wor…
Cape Verde have completed one of the biggest stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reaching the knockout stage for the first time in the nation’s history. The small Atlantic island nation, with a population of around 600,000, became the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup knockout rounds after finishing second in Group H. Their achievement is all the more remarkable as they did not rely on the expanded 48-team tournament format or a best third-placed finish. Cape Verde earned automatic qualification by finishing second in their group, having also topped their World Cup qualifying group ahead of Cameroon. The historic run has earned Cape Verde a Round of 32 clash against defending world champions Argentina. While Argentina will start as overwhelming favourites, Cape Verde have already established themselves as one of the tournament’s biggest surprise packages, completing a remarkable journey from World Cup debutants to knockout-stage qualifiers. (Newswire)