Cape Verde won its ticket for the 2026 World Cup this Monday by defeating Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) with a score of 3-0. Neutralized at the break, the Blue Sharks made the difference thanks to Livramento (48e), Semedo (64e) and Stopira (90e+1). This is to ensure unprecedented qualification for the final phase of the next World Cup.
The day after Ghana's qualification, Cape Verde becomes the 22nde country officially invited across the Atlantic for the next high mass of world football. In the Africa zone, six out of nine possible entrants across the continent are thus known since Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria have already validated their presence next summer in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Held in check today by Angola (0-0), Cameroon, second in the Cape Verde group, will have to go through play-offs on the other hand. Without any guarantee of success.
22 qualified out of 48 known
At this time, the Asia zone (completed by Australia) has six qualified out of eight: Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, South Korea and Australia. The Oceania zone has already delivered its verdict with New Zealand qualified and New Caledonia assured of competing in the intercontinental play-offs.
The six elected from the South America zone are also known (a seventh potential qualifier via the intercontinental play-offs may be designated). Namely Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia and Paraguay. Remember that the three organizing countries above complete a table of 19 qualifiers out of 48 nations identified to date.
