The Cape Verde national football team, nicknamed “Blue Sharks” (Tubarões Azuis), represents the island nation of Cape Verde in international football and is governed by the Cape Verdean Football Federation.
Although a relatively young footballing nation, Cape Verde has made remarkable progress over the past two decades. They qualified for their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2013 and reached the quarterfinals — an impressive debut. Since then, they have become a competitive and respected side in African football, regularly qualifying for AFCON tournaments and challenging stronger nations.
Cape Verde has never previously appeared at a FIFA World Cup — until now.
In November 2025, Cape Verde made history by qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, topping their CAF qualifying group after a decisive final victory that secured their first-ever World Cup berth. The achievement marked a historic milestone for the small Atlantic nation.
Cape Verde’s World Cup 2026 Group — Group H
Cape Verde has been drawn into Group H alongside:
France — The 2018 World Cup champions and European powerhouse.
Colombia — A technically gifted South American side.
United Arab Emirates — An emerging Asian team returning to the global stage.
This will be a challenging group for the Blue Sharks, especially against a world-class team like France. However, the expanded format means that the top two teams — and some best third-placed teams — will advance to the knockout stage, giving Cape Verde a realistic opportunity to fight for qualification.
Cape Verde’s goal in 2026 will be to represent their nation proudly, compete with intensity, and possibly create one of the tournament’s biggest surprises in their historic debut.
Group H
| Pos | Club |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Cape Verde |
| 2 |  Saudi Arabia |
| 3 |  Spain |
| 4 |  Uruguay |