Cape Verde have qualified for the World Cup once, in 2026, which was their first ever appearance at the finals. On their debut, they progressed out of the group stage before being knocked out in the Round of 32. 

2026

Cape Verde qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first time the island nation had ever reached the finals. They sealed qualification on 14 October 2025 with a 3–0 win over Eswatini in Praia, topping their qualifying group ahead of Cameroon. With a population of around 550,000, they became one of the smallest nations ever to reach a World Cup.

At the finals, they were drawn into Group H alongside Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia. Cape Verde drew all three of their group matches and finished second in the group behind Spain, holding both Spain and Uruguay and advancing to the knockout rounds on their very first attempt.

Date Result Opponent
15 June 0–0 Spain
21 June 2–2 Uruguay
26 June 0–0 Saudi Arabia
3 July 2–3 Argentina

In the Round of 32, Cape Verde faced reigning champions, Argentina in Miami on 3 July. They twice fought back to level the scores but were eventually beaten 3–2 after extra time, ending a remarkable debut tournament. Deroy Duarte and Sidny Lopes Cabral were on target for Cape Verde, while goalkeeper Vozinha earned praise for a string of saves against Lionel Messi and company.

Trivia

  • Cape Verde's qualification for the 2026 World Cup was their first ever, making them one of the smallest nations by population (around 550,000) to reach the finals.
  • Cape Verde reached the knockout stage without winning a match in the group, advancing on the strength of three draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia.