Cape Verde will continue their adventure at the FIFA World Cup after securing a place in the tournament’s round of 32 phase.
Playing at their first World Cup, the island nation off the western coast of Africa pulled off one of the World Cup’s biggest surprises by playing pre-tournament favorites Spain to a scoreless draw in its opener.
They followed that up by scoring its first goals of the World Cup in a 2-2 tie against Uruguay.
Cape Verde then played put a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia in their group stage finale in Houston on Friday. The result saw them become the smallest country by population to ever make the knockout stage of a men’s World Cup.
Cabo Verde players celebrate after the 0-0 draw during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match against Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
“We are small,” said Vozinha, Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper who embodied the grit of his nation. “But we have big hearts and we are fighters.”
Friday’s drawnsaw Cape Verde finish undefeated on three points and take second place in Group H behind 2010 winners Spain and a point ahead of two-time World Cup champions Uruguay.
They will now continue their story with another epic clash against defending champions Argentina in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 3.
“The team was very eager to show this to the whole world,” Cape Verde coach Bubista said while draped in his country’s flag. “We are proud of having arrived at this stage. We have shown that we are a small country, but that we fight for the things that we want to achieve.”
Cape Verde’s population of 525,000 inhabitants is smaller than all 50 U.S. states, with Wyoming the closest with a population of 576,000.
They are the first debutants to make the World Cup knockout stage since Slovakia in 2010, and the first newcomers to go unbeaten in their three group stage matches since Senegal in 2002.
