Supporters celebrate Cape Verde’s victory against Eswatini during the Fifa World Cup 2026 Africa qualifiers group D match at a fan zone in Sao Vicente, Cape Verde, on October 13, 2025. A carnival-like atmosphere erupted in the streets of Cape Verde on Monday after the tiny archipelago nation qualified for the first time ever for the World Cup. Located off the coast of Senegal, it is the country with the smallest population to represent Africa in the global showpiece, with just 550,000 inhabitants.
PRAIA (Cape Verde) — A carnival-like atmosphere erupted in the streets of Cape Verde’s capital Praia on Monday after the tiny archipelago nation qualified for the World Cup for the first time.
Honking horns and street fireworks greeted euphoric fans pouring out of the Cape Verde National Stadium following the 3-0 victory over Eswatini, which secured the Blue Sharks a place in the 2026 finals, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In the street, people danced to the sound of reggae tunes and local funana music.
It was “an incredible moment”, 37-year-old fan Jorge Junior Livramento told AFP near the stadium.
“I don’t have words. I was at the stadium and I supported our team unconditionally,” he said.
Congratulating Cape Verde on their “historic moment”, Fifa president Gianni Infantino said the achievement was likely to “power a new generation of football lovers” across the nation.
Cape Verde, located off the coast of Senegal, is the country with the smallest population to represent Africa in the global showpiece, with just 550,000 inhabitants.
It becomes the second-least populous nation to reach the World Cup, after Iceland, with just over 350,000, at Russia 2018.
