Have you heard of Cape Verde? This tiny nation is set to play in the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup!
A country with just 1.5% of Delhi’s population makes history in 95 years of the tournament
London: Cape Verde a small island nation in Africa has qualified for the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup for the first time ever. On Monday, Cape Verde secured this historic feat by defeating Eswatini 3–0 in the qualifying round.
Interestingly, Cape Verde outperformed football powerhouses like Cameroon in the African qualifying stage to earn its spot in the World Cup. The country’s population is barely one and a half percent of Delhi’s total.
The smallest nation in World Cup history
Since the first men’s FIFA World Cup in 1930, Cape Verde will now become the smallest country ever to participate in the tournament a remarkable achievement in the event’s 95-year history.
A brief look at Cape Verde’s background
Located off the west coast of Africa, Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal about 50 years ago. It ranks 166th in the world by land area and 172nd by population, with just around 600,000 residents — 82% of whom are Christians. The country reached the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations twice, in 2013 and 2023, and now, for the first time, it’s headed straight to the World Cup.
Other small nations that have played the World Cup
The last FIFA World Cup, held in November 2022, was won by Argentina under Lionel Messi’s captaincy. Argentina defeated France 4–2 in a penalty shootout after a thrilling 3–3 draw in the final. Croatia finished third, and Morocco came fourth.
Apart from Cape Verde, four other relatively small nations have also featured in past World Cups — Iceland, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago, and Northern Ireland.