Cape Verde Makes History, Reaches 2026 World Cup Knockout Stage

Cape Verde has achieved a historic milestone, qualifying for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup for the first time in its history. The African nation secured their spot by playing to a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia in their final Group F match on Saturday, June 27, at Houston Stadium.

The draw was enough to see Cape Verde advance to the round of 32, marking a significant achievement in their debut World Cup appearance. Throughout the match, Cape Verde created more dangerous opportunities. Willy Semedo nearly scored in the 22nd minute, but his shot was saved by Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais. Mohamed Kanno's header for Saudi Arabia before halftime was also denied by Cape Verde's Vozinha.

In the second half, Cape Verde continued to press, with Jamiro Monteiro and Kevin Lenini testing Al Owais. Laros Duarte had a prime chance in the 75th minute, but the Saudi keeper made another crucial save. Saudi Arabia pushed for a late winner, with Abdullah Al Hamdan's injury-time shot easily handled by Vozinha.

Meanwhile, in another Group F fixture, Spain concluded their group stage campaign with a 1-0 victory over Uruguay in Guadalajara. Alex Baena scored the lone goal in the 42nd minute. Spain's win confirmed their status as group winners with a perfect record of three wins from three matches. Uruguay, despite the loss, may still advance depending on other group results.