Cape Verde advances to knockout stage with historic three draws

Cape Verde held Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw at Houston Stadium on June 27, 2026, and the point sent the Blue Sharks into the knockout stage as second place in Group H behind Spain. The result completed a group campaign built on three stalemates, after a 0-0 opener against Spain and a 2-2 draw with Uruguay.

Cape Verde became the first team since Chile at France 1998 to get out of the group stage after drawing all three matches. Saudi Arabia finished last in Group H with two points.

Cape Verde now turns to a heavyweight test against reigning champion Argentina on July 3 in Miami. In Houston, Deroy Duarte was named the player of the match, with chances for Jamiro Monteiro, Kevin Pina, Nuno da Costa, Laros Duarte and Garry Rodrigues.

Cape Verde qualified for its first World Cup on October 13, 2025, when it beat Eswatini 3-0 to finish first in CAF Group D ahead of Cameroon. With just over 500,000 people and a land area of a little more than 4,000 square kilometers, Cape Verde is the second least populous country to reach a World Cup and the smallest by area to qualify.

Bubista, the former international Pedro Leitão Brito, has built the squad around players from the islands and members of the diaspora. Three draws have been enough to extend the country’s first World Cup run into the knockout rounds.