Cape Verde is in pot 4 for the group draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be held on December 5.
FIFA has decided that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will divide the 48 teams into four pots. Cape Verde has been placed in Pot 4, among the lower-ranked teams or those coming from the play-offs. Despite the challenge, qualification represents a great achievement and the chance to showcase Cape Verdean soccer on the global stage.
FIFA announced on Tuesday the official format for the 2026 World Cup group draw: there will be 48 teams divided into four pots, with 12 teams each.
Portugal, Brazil, Spain, Argentina and the other top-ranked teams, along with host countries the United States, Canada and Mexico, make up Pot 1.
Cape Verde - along with countries such as Ghana, Curaçao and Haiti - has been placed in Pot 4, for teams with lower rankings or who have qualified via a play-off.
With this positioning, the draw for the group stage - scheduled for December 5, 2025, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. - could pit Cape Verde against opponents from stronger pots, which increases the challenge, but also underscores the symbolic weight of Cape Verde's presence in the expanded tournament.
For Cape Verde, being among the 48 teams is already a milestone. Even from Pot 4, the team has the opportunity to surprise - and for many fans, this presence represents pride and the hope of making history.
