Put it in the Louvre: Cabo Verde could be the smallest African country ever to reach WC
Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 13.10.25. | 16:35
To do so, the Blue Sharks need to beat woeful Eswatini today in front of 15,000 home supporters in the capital of Praia (7 pm)
A few seconds and some horrible officiating prevented them from turning a dream into a reality a few days ago. Now, today, at Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde, the Blue Sharks have (another) date with destiny and they can't, they mustn't miss it this time.
After a 3-3 away draw against Libya, they await Eswatini in the last round of Group D in the capital of Praia with a single goal - to win, thus securing their first-ever World Cup appearance.
Moreover, with a population of only around 530,000, Cabo Verde would become the smallest African country to reach the global showpiece and the second-smallest globally ever (the 'title' still belongs to Iceland, with 350,000 inhabitants when they appeared at the 2018 FIFA WC in Russia).
Cabo Verde could progress to the WC even in the case of a draw, if Cameroon fail to defeat Angola heavily, as both games have the same kickoff time (7 pm).
If they qualify, Cabo Verde will follow in the footsteps of Jordan and Uzbekistan, who have already ensured their place at the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Meanwhile, teams from CAF, Concacaf and OFC, including Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, Madagascar and others, are sharing dreams of a debut at the tournament, either directly as winners of their qualifying group or through the FIFA Play-Off Tournament in March 2026.
Interestingly, players who were born in the country or are of Cabo Verdean descent have shone at previous FIFA World Cup tournaments, such as Nani (Portugal), Patrick Vieira (France) and Gelson Fernandes (Switzerland).
"We live and breathe football here. We support teams and national teams from all over, and now we have the opportunity to support our own national team. So, that's something you can't describe," FIFA website quotes Cristiano Barbosa, a Cape Verdean photographer, who witnessed and recorded one of the country's proudest sporting moments when Daniel Varela de Pina won their first-ever Olympic medal, claiming bronze in the men's flyweight boxing in Paris in 2024.
"We've seen Cabo Verdeans excel in other sports recently but, for football, I think it's more special. And for kids that are used to playing football ever since they started walking - we play with everything we find on the street and at school - so for them to see the national team on television, playing the (FIFA) World Cup," he said. "It's something that I'm sure they feel (is) really special [to see] the country on the big stage."
WC QUALIFICATION AFRICA - MATCHDAY 10
Friday
South Sudan - Senegal 0-5 (0-1)
/Sarr 29, 54, Mane 46, Jackson 60 pen, Ndiaye C. 75/
Gambia - Gabon 3-4 (2-2)
/Minteh 23, Sidibeh 45+2, 47 - Aubameyang 20, 42, 62, 78/
Seychelles - Ivory Coast 0-7 (0-4)
/Sangare 7 pen, Agbadou 17, Diakite 32, Guessand 39, Diomande 55, Adingra 67, Kessie 90/
Sudan - Mauritania 0-0
Togo - DR Congo 0-1 (0-1)
/Bakambu 7/
Lesotho - Nigeria 1-2 (0-0)
/Kalake 83 - Troost-Ekong 55 pen, Adams 80/
Rwanda - Benin 0-1 (0-0)
/Tosin 80/
Sao Tome - Tunisia 0-6 (0-3)
/Chaouat 36, Saad 39, 43, Gharbi 47, Ben Romdhane 68 pen, 90/
Zimbabwe - South Africa 0-0
Sunday
Zambia - Niger 0-1 (0-0)
/Sosah 56/
Chad - Central African Republic 2-3 (0-2)
/Ecua 53, Mouandilmadji 87 - Mokonou 3, Baboula 31, Namnganda 90+3/
Burkina Faso - Ethiopia 3-1 (0-0)
/Kabore 65, 82, 90+6 - Ayten 84/
Djibouti - Sierra Leone 1-2 (1-1)
/Farah 29 - Bah 45+2, Tarawallie 72/
Egypt - Guinea-Bissau 1-0 (0-0)
/Hamdi 10/
Ghana - Comoros 1-0 (0-0)
/Kudus 47/
Mali - Madagascar 4-1 (2-0)
/Nene 39, Sinayoko 10,64, Diarra 90+5 - N'Zi 90/
Monday
16.00: (2.00) Equatorial Guinea (3.35) Liberia (4.00)
16.00: (17.0) Sao Tome (7.25) Malawi (1.17)
16.00: (5.80) South Sudan (3.50) Togo (1.67)
16.00: (1.47) Tunisia (4.00) Namibia (8.00)
19.00: (1.32) Cameroon (4.80) Angola (11.0)
19.00: (1.15) Cape Verde (7.50) Eswatini (20.0)
19.00: (4.00) Lesotho (3.35) Zimbabwe (2.00)
19.00: (7.25) Mauritius (4.00) Libya (1.50)
***odds are subject to change***
