Cape Verde bursts into joy following historic World Cup qualification

On Monday, a vibrant carnival vibe swept through the streets of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, as this small island nation secured its inaugural spot in the World Cup.

With car horns blaring and fireworks lighting up the roads, thrilled supporters streamed out of the Cape Verde National Stadium after a convincing 3-0 triumph against Eswatini, earning the Blue Sharks entry into the 2026 finals hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In the roads, crowds moved to rhythms of reggae beats and traditional funana sounds.

It marked "a truly amazing occasion", shared 37-year-old supporter Jorge Junior Livramento with AFP close to the venue.

"Words fail me. I attended the match and cheered for our squad without reservation," he added.

Situated near Senegal's shoreline, Cape Verde holds the distinction of being Africa's least populated representative in the international tournament, home to only 550,000 residents.

The nation now ranks as the second-smallest by population to appear in the World Cup, trailing Iceland with slightly more than 350,000 at the 2018 event in Russia.

"I yelled throughout the game, leaving my voice hoarse, yet I feel overjoyed," local resident Jose Vieira informed AFP post-match, having viewed it live from the stadium.

Revelry was set to persist through the evening, highlighted by a performance at Praia's city stadium with artists like Djodje and Soraia Ramos.

Blue Sharks manager Pedro 'Bubista' Brito remarked to reporters that "bringing such delight to our citizens is immense", noting further that "this success belongs to every Cape Verdean".

Cape Verde topped Group D on 23 points, surpassing Cameroon by four, the latter with Africa's highest tally of eight prior World Cup berths. Cameroon finished in a 0-0 stalemate with Angola in Yaounde.

Comprising 10 Atlantic islands, Cape Verde achieved autonomy from Portugal in 1975 and initially sought World Cup participation in 2002 for Japan and South Korea.

"This is a remarkable highlight during our 50th independence anniversary festivities," stated manager Bubista.

"It represents a triumph for the entire Cape Verdean community and especially those who battled for our freedom."

The squad advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals in their 2013 debut and repeated the feat in 2023, holding a current world ranking of 70th.

"Now is the moment for festivity," declared 39-year-old keeper Vozinha to the media, revealing he had "longed for this since childhood".

Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Cape Verde have claimed group wins, occupying six of the nine automatic African slots for the 2026 World Cup.

Supporter Jose Jorge Borges, a 60-year-old reporter, conveyed to AFP that it created an unforgettable experience for Cape Verdeans.

"The feelings are evident and hard to put into words", he expressed.