We all love underdog stories, and this one will perhaps be remembered for a long time. Off the west coast of Africa lies the archipelago state of Cape Verde, with a combined land area of about 4,033 square kilometres and home to around 5.5 lakh people. This small African nation is on the verge of creating football history. With two games remaining and only three points needed, Cape Verde are knocking on the doors of the FIFA World Cup 2026. If they succeed, they would become the smallest country ever to achieve this feat. Interestingly, Cape Verde is the 30th smallest country in the world. But in these islands, football is without question the most beloved sport. “You can find small football fields everywhere,” mentioned an article on CapeVerdeIslands.org. “On the beach, along a dry river or on a flat part of a mountain.”
In the ongoing FIFA Qualifiers, Cape Verde find themselves in Group D alongside the mighty Cameroon, whom they defeated in their last game to take a giant step toward their World Cup dream. The other teams in the group are Libya, Angola, Mauritius, and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), their final group-stage opponents.
To understand Cape Verdean football better: they are currently ranked 73rd by FIFA. Surprisingly, they once reached as high as 27th, a decade ago in 2014. When Diego Maradona lifted the World Cup in Mexico in 1986, it was also the year Cape Verde became a FIFA member. Till the turn of the millennium, they hovered around the 180 mark in the rankings, but since then, they have steadily risen to become a formidable side in African football. As a country, Cape Verde only gained independence from Portugal in 1975.
Their domestic league system is unique and fascinating. Ten islands make up the nation, and nine of them run leagues of their own. Two islands, Santiago and Santo Antão, are divided into northern and southern zones, each with their own league. Once these parallel leagues are completed, the champions of all eleven leagues, along with the runners-up from the São Vicente Premier League, are drawn into three groups of four teams for the Cape Verdean Football Championship.
This structure not only guarantees year-round football fixtures and ensures players get adequate playing time, but also highlights the depth of talent available across the islands. The number of teams across these eleven leagues is testament to the strength of their player pool.
As we talk about this underdog journey — which could well become the story of the year if Cape Verde book their tickets to the United States — the African qualifiers tell a contrasting tale elsewhere. Two of the continent’s most powerful football nations, Cameroon – the land of Roger Milla and Samuel Eto’o – and Nigeria, home to legends like Jay-Jay Okocha and John Obi Mikel, are staring at the possibility of missing out on the World Cup. In Africa’s qualification format, the nine group winners qualify directly, while the best four runners-up face off for a single intercontinental playoff spot. At present, Cameroon sit second in Group D behind Cape Verde with 15 points, while Nigeria are third in Group C with 11 points — outside the best four runners-up zone for now.
On September 9, at the Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia, in a true David-versus-Goliath clash, when the Cape Verde No. 9, Dailon Livramento, scored past Cameroon and Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana, it was more than just a goal. It was a spark of belief. It was proof that Cape Verde might just be one push away — one per cent extra effort — from making their dream a reality.
Next up, Cape Verde face Libya away on October 6, before hosting Eswatini on October 13. That final day could become the most important moment in Cape Verde’s football history. Even if they falter against Libya, a win against Eswatini would be enough to seal qualification. And if that happens, Praia may well turn into one giant stadium, with the whole nation celebrating together.
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