Cape Verde takes center stage in Group H of World Cup 2026 and opens against Spain
Cape Verde makes its debut at the 2026 World Cup in a tough Group H with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. The Blue Sharks, bolstered by their diaspora and living at the height of their history, are looking to challenge the giants and spring a surprise in an unprecedented campaign. Match dates and venues will be confirmed on Saturday.
Cape Verde officially enters the world soccer map as one of the big stories of the 2026 World Cup. The team of the Blue Sharks, absolute debutants in the competition, fell into Group H alongside Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, a challenge that mixes tradition, unknowns and symbolism - but also makes room for big dreams and legitimate ambitions.
Cape Verde's historic qualification, achieved by finishing top of Group D ahead of Cameroon, had already taken the continent by surprise. Now, with the draw decided, international attention is turning to the team coached by Bubista, which has built a solid, multicultural and resilient project.
Even without one of its pillars - Logan Costa (Villarreal) - for much of the qualifiers, Cape Verde found strong solutions by scouring the diaspora for talent in Portugal, France and the Netherlands, reinforcing themselves with players like Monteiro, Livramento, Jovane Cabral and the eternal Ryan Mendes, a technical reference and leader on the pitch. The curious case of Roberto "Pico" Lopes, recruited via LinkedIn, has become a symbol of Cape Verdean creativity and determination.
In attack, names like Duk (Leganés) and Bebé (Ibiza) are still trying to secure a place on the final roster, promising to expand the attacking capacity of a group that has been surprising for its organization and competitive maturity.
Cape Verde's opening match will be against Spain, the European powerhouse and one of the favorites to win the title, in a clash between the newcomers and the team with the longest unbeaten run in world soccer at the moment. The Blue Sharks then face the always unpredictable Uruguay, marked by internal turbulence and an attack that is rebuilding after the departures of the historic Forlán, Suárez and Cavani.
The last game of the group stage will be against Saudi Arabia, a team that toppled Argentina in 2022 and is experiencing its recent heyday thanks to the strong structure created by the local league.
The final dates and venues for the games will be announced on Saturday, confirming Cape Verde's exact routes in this unprecedented adventure. The blue fans around the world are already anxious: the World Cup is now a reality, and the smallest country in the competition promises to make a lot of noise.
