Victory meant the Blue Sharks secured top spot in their qualifying group and a place at the 2026 finals ahead of continental heavyweights Cameroon.

Dailon Livramento opened the scoring for the hosts in Praia, turning home a loose ball inside the six-yard box early in the second half, and Willy Semedo volleyed in a second soon afterwards.

Veteran defender Stopira added the third in stoppage time before the full-time whistle sparked joyous scenes of celebration at the 15,000-capacity National Stadium.

An archipelago of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean, with a population of just under 525,000 according to the latest figures from the World Bank, Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975 and first attempted to reach the 2002 World Cup hosted in Japan and South Korea.

The team have punched above their weight in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in recent years, reaching the quarter-finals on debut in 2013 and again in 2023, and currently sit 70th in the world rankings.

Iceland, who featured at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, is the only country with a smaller population to qualify for the global showpiece.

Last month’s 1-0 home win over Cameroon in the capital city put the islanders in pole position in Group D, knowing one victory from their remaining two games would book their place in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The Blue Sharks missed their first chance to qualify last Wednesday against Libya when they drew 3-3, fighting back from two goals down in Tripoli before being denied an almost certain stoppage-time winner by a controversial offside call.

But the Cape Verdeans made sure of their second opportunity in Praia against winless Eswatini, becoming the sixth African side to book a ticket to next year’s finals.

Cape Verde President Jose Maria Neves was in attendance as the home crowd endured a nervy first period in which Livramento sent an effort wide and Jamiro Monteiro was denied by Eswatini goalkeeper Khanyakwezwe Shabalala.

But the tension lifted as soon as Livramento broke the deadlock three minutes into the second half, prompting passionate celebrations with the crowd which were repeated when Semedo converted Diney’s knockdown.

Image source: Mark Lomas

Image caption: Cape Verde players celebrated their qualification in front of packed stands in Praia

Centre-back Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes says the fact Africa now has a guaranteed nine slots at the expanded 48-team World Cup – up from five at Qatar 2022 – has benefitted the Blue Sharks.

“Traditionally, it’s been difficult to qualify for the World Cup, especially in Africa where you had to finish first [in your group] to have a chance,” Lopes told the BBC before the trip to Libya.

“This time, if you finish first, you’re in.

“The motivation to be first and hold on to that has been crucial.”

Five-time Afcon winners Cameroon, meanwhile, have paid the price for poor away performances over the course of a campaign which began in November 2023.

The Indomitable Lions drew matches in Libya, Angola and against Eswatini, and will now need to navigate both African and inter-confederation play-offs if they are to extend their continental record of eight appearances at the World Cup.

Drawing on the diaspora

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Former Manchester United forward Bebe, who was born and grew up in Portugal, was part of the Cape Verde side which reached the last eight at Afcon 2023

Cape Verde has a growing tourism sector but rarely hits the headlines for its sporting achievements – with the nation only securing its first ever Olympic medal at Paris 2024 when boxer David de Pina won bronze in the men’s flyweight category.

With a domestic top flight featuring just 12 teams, the Blue Sharks have relied heavily on foreign-based players and members of the diaspora to improve its footballing fortunes over recent years.

The fact that Shamrock Rovers defender Lopes got his first call-up via an approach on business networking website LinkedIn underlines the nation’s approach to tracking down potential players.

“My father is from the island of Sao Nicolau. He left when he was 16,” Lopes told the BBC’s Destination New Jersey podcast.

“People tend to look for opportunities and football outside the country. There seems to be mass migration from the country.

“We’re all over the world. It’s great what we can achieve when we’re together.”

The current squad does not include anyone who plays in Europe’s top five leagues and their top scorer in qualifying, Netherlands-born forward Livramento, plies his trade for Casa Pia who are 14th in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.

A long-standing coach

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Bubista has been in charge of Cape Verde for more than five years and led his team at two Africa Cup of Nations

The Blue Sharks have also benefited from stability in the dugout, with coach Bubista in charge since January 2020.

A former international himself, the 55-year-old has built a compact and well-drilled side with a mean defence, technical midfielders and gifted forwards who upset Ghana and drew with Egypt during their run at Afcon 2023.

The national federation kept faith in Bubista despite failing to qualify for this year’s Afcon in Morocco, with the Cape Verdeans finishing bottom of a qualifying group containing Egypt, Botswana and Mauritania.

Now the archipelago’s inhabitants can look forward to the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC on 4 December and dream of taking on some of the globe’s top sides next year.

Cape Verde join Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and Ghana in sealing an African qualifying spot for next year’s finals, with three more nations set to join them.

Cameroon finished four points behind Cape Verde in the Group D table after ending their campaign with an underwhelming 0-0 draw at home against Angola.

The visitors came closest to a winner in Yaounde, as Maestro and Zito Luvumbo both hit the woodwork.

The Indomitable Lions are virtually assured a place in next month’s continental play-offs, but will discover their fate when the group stage of African qualifying culminates on Tuesday.

The Blue Sharks lead the Indomitable Lions by four points with two rounds of fixtures remaining in Group D following a stunning victory secured by Dalion Livramento’s solo effort in the second half in Praia.

Elsewhere, Pape Matar Sarr scored the winner as Senegal fought back from 2-0 down to beat DR Congo 3-2 and move top of their group.

Ivory Coast preserved their one-point advantage over Gabon at the summit of Group F after securing a goalless draw away against the Panthers.

The reigning continental champions, who last featured at the World Cup in 2014, came close to defeat when Shavy Babicka struck the post for the hosts in the 87th minute.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s hopes of automatic progress to the 2026 finals are slim after the Super Eagles could only draw 1-1 away against Group C leaders South Africa when a win was realistically required to stay in contention.

And Egypt missed the chance to book their spot at the finals with two games to spare in Group A after a goalless draw in Burkina Faso.

Only the nine group winners in African qualifying are assured of a place at the finals, with the four best-ranked second placed sides entering play-offs for one spot at an intercontinental tournament next year.

Morocco and Tunisia have already secured passage to the finals.

Blue Sharks seal famous victory

Cape Verde led five-time continental champions Cameroon by one point in Group D before their meeting, and the Blue Sharks extended their advantage after pulling off a stunning upset.

Livramento scored the only goal in the 54th minute when he muscled Carlos Baleba off the ball in his own half, powered through the heart of the Cameroon defence and then calmly finished past Andre Onana from 14 yards.

Cameroon offered little going forward in response, with Bryan Mbeumo having a penalty claim turned down and home goalkeeper Vozinha saving Flavien Boyomo’s volley in stoppage time.

The final whistle sparked a pitch invasion by fans, with joyous scenes as supporters waved flags and lit flares in celebration of a famous victory.

Cape Verde have punched above their weight in recent editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the quarter-finals in the 2013 and 2023 editions, but for the Atlantic Ocean archipelago nation of less than 600,000 inhabitants to reach the World Cup finals would be truly remarkable.

The Blue Sharks know that three points from their final two games next month, away against Libya and at home against lowly Eswatini, will mean they book their ticket to Canada, Mexico and the United States.

​​​​​​​Senegal mount impressive comeback

The eighth round of matches served up four top-of-the-table clashes, with DR Congo holding a one-point lead over Senegal before their Group B meeting in Kinshasa.

The Leopards started strongly as Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa put the hosts 2-0 up after 33 minutes at a packed and fervent Stade des Martyrs.

But the Teranga Lions pulled one back in the 39th minute when Pape Gueye tapped in from close range after Iliman Ndiaye’s low shot struck the left-hand upright.

Leopards keeper Dimitry Bertaud made a fine fingertip save to deny Gueye a leveller on the stroke of the break, and Senegal forward Nicolas Jackson then headed narrowly wide in first-half injury time.

Jackson made it 2-2 eight minutes into the second half when he stabbed home from inside the box, and Tottenham midfielder Sarr won it with three minutes remaining by converting a cutback from Cheikh Sabaly.

Senegal now lead Group B by two points from DR Congo, whose only previous World Cup finals appearance came in 1974 when the country was known as Zaire.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s challenge in Group B is almost over after they lost 1-0 in Togo, with Kwesi Appiah’s side now four points behind the Congolese in third.

Super Eagles fail to secure much-needed win

Image source: Reuters

Image caption: Mohau Nkota helped South Africa to a crucial point against Nigeria

Nigeria knew they had to win away against South Africa to stay in the hunt for automatic qualification from Group C, but fell behind the 25th minute when centre-back William Troost-Ekong put Mohau Nkota’s low cross into his own net.

Yet the Super Eagles levelled one minute before half-time in Bloemfontein through Fulham defender Calvin Bassey, who rose highest to powerfully head in Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s cross.

Replays showed Bassey had headed the ball onto his own arm and in, but with no Video Assistant Referee in operation in African qualifying the goal was awarded.

The West Africans came out with renewed purpose in the second half but lacked quality in the final third and could not seriously test home goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

South Africa top the table and are on the brink of returning to the World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010.

The Super Eagles are six points adrift of Bafana Bafana yet could be handed a reprieve if South Africa are docked three points for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho in March.

World governing body Fifa is yet to announce a decision on the case.

Bebe, Willy Semedo, Laros Duarte and Bryan Teixeira were all denied by the inspired Williams, who also made a spectacular late save to tip Gilson Benchimol’s first-time strike against the woodwork with extra time looming during a contest largely characterised by poor finishing.

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha also made two exceptional saves in quick succession shortly after extra time began to deny Mihlali Mayambela and Teboho Mokoena.

South Africa will now have the chance to avenge their defeat to Nigeria on their last appearance in the Afcon semi-finals when they were beaten 2-0 by the Super Eagles in 2000.

The 1996 champions will attempt to bridge a 24-place gap in Fifa’s rankings when they meet the three-time winners in Bouake on Wednesday (17:00 GMT).

Cape Verde captain Mendes struck the decisive spot kick in the 88th minute and the Blue Sharks will now face either Morocco or South Africa in the quarter-finals.

Cape Verde, one of the surprise teams of the tournament after finishing unbeaten at the top of Group B ahead of Egypt and Ghana, were second best for most of the first half, but finished strongly to secure their passage.

Mauritania reached the tournament’s knockout stages for the first time by defeating two-time winners Algeria 1-0 in their final group game to progress as one of the best third-placed teams.

The first-half action was end-to-end, but clear-cut chances were at a premium, while Mauritania were dealt a blow in the 35th minute when Omare Gassama was carried off on a stretcher and replaced by Guessouma Fofana.

Mendes’ early effort for Cape Verde was deflected into the side-netting and Mauritania captain Mouhsine Bodda curled a 15th-minute free-kick just wide.

Mauritania made all the early running in the second period and Souleymane Anne missed the game’s best chance from open play when firing wide after Sidi Amar’s surging run into the penalty area just before the hour-mark.

Cape Verde came on strongly in the closing stages with both Garry Rodrigues’ drive and Mendes’ header forcing Mauritania goalkeeper Babacar Niasse into excellent saves.

The game’s decisive moment came in the 87th minute when Yassin El Welly’s misplaced headed back-pass was pounced on by substitute Gilson Benchimol, who was brought down by Niasse for a clear penalty.

Mendes held his nerve, drilling his spot-kick down the middle and the Blue Sharks saw out 10 minutes of added time to seal their place in the last eight.

The Rayo Vallecano forward, once of Manchester United, smashed in a strike which keeper Ernan Siluane should have done better with.

Captain Ryan Mendes took advantage of a defensive mistake to double their lead.

Kevin Pina then hammered a brilliant strike into the top corner from outside the box to seal the win in Abidjan.

Mozambique’s best moments came through Geny Catamo. He won a penalty in the first half, which was overturned by the video assistant referee (VAR), and hit the crossbar with a free-kick.

The Black Stars on Sunday suffered a 2-1 defeat against their Island nation in their opener of the tournament at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

Speaking in a post-match interview, the former Premier League manager apologised to Ghanaians, adding that the entire team is disappointed with the results.

“We are incredibly disappointed with the result. We came into the game with a game plan. We changed the system a bit so we can start on the front foot,” the 64-year-old said.

“We are hugely disappointed with the result. It’s a defeat we are hugely disappointed in,” he added.

 Jamiro Monteiro and Garry Rodrigues scored in each half of the game as Alexander Djiku scored a consolation goal for Ghana.

The Black Stars will hope to record their first win when they face Egypt in their second Group B game on Thursday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan with kick-off scheduled at 20:00GMT.

The West Africa powerhouse suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Island nation on Sunday night, courtesy of goals from Jamiro Monteiro and Garry Rodrigues with Alexander Djiku scoring a consolation for the Black Stars.

However, comical defending led to Cape Verde scoring a late winner through Garry Rodrigues.

Speaking after the game, the Crystal Palace marksman expressed his disappointment but also indicated that the players have no choice but to bounce back quickly to secure qualification to the knockout stage.

“I’m disappointed because I think we had the game in our hands. We always lack concentration of which our opponent, scored two sloppy goals. As a team, we need to back up quickly because we can’t always say that it’s a young team. We’ve been together for two years and is a tough night for us,” Ayew said.

“We have two more games and we need to stay positive, we know we need to do it the hard way, we don’t have a choice now so we do it the hard and see the outcome,” he said.

Ghana, who now sits at the bottom of Group B will face Egypt on Thursday, January 18 at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan with kick-off scheduled at 20:00GMT. 

The four-time African champions were making their 23rd appearance at the AFCON in Ivory Coast. 

After a good start, the Black Stars failed to create any chance in the early minutes of the game. 

However, the Island nation warmed themselves into the game and dominated the possession. They broke the deadlock in the 17th minute after Jamiro Monteiro scored from a rebound after Richard Ofori had saved an earlier strike.  

The Black Stars, however, started putting their pieces together as they started to create chances. Ghana came close in the 26th minute after Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer failed to connect Gideon Mensah’s cross properly. 

The Black Stars thought they had drawn level after Majeed Ashimeru scored in the 38th minute scored a wonderful goal but after a VAR consultation, the goal was ruled out. 

Ghana despite their best effort ended the first half of the game losing 1-0 to Cape Verde. 

After recess, the Black Stars started well but the Island nation were determined to double their lead but the Ghana defense kept the threat under control. 

However, the Black Stars equalized after Alexander Djiku headed home a corner in the 56th minute. 

Ghana came close again but Joseph Paintsil failed to connect Semenyo’s delicious cross. Andre Ayew, Ernest Nuamah and Inaki Williams were all introduced in the 63rd minute. 

Nuamah made a quick impact with a powerful cross but there was no Ghanaian play to connect the ball. 

Both sides failed to create enough chances but in the closing stages, Cape Verde came close to doubling their lead but Richard Ofori prevented the ball with his feet. 

During the added time, the Island nation kept dictating the pace and found the back of the net with Garry Rodrigues scoring in the 92nd minute after the Ghanaian defense collapsed to end the game 2-1.

Ghana, who is on a quest to end its 42-year AFCON trophy drought will face record holders, Egypt on Thursday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan with kick-off scheduled at 20:00GMT.

The four-time African champions will take on the Island nation at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan in their Group B opener.

Richard Ofori will keep the post while Denis Odoi, Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Djiku and Gideon Mensah form the defense.

Iddrisu Baba and Majeed Ashimeru will protect the back four as the defensive midfielder.

Joseph Paintsil, Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer and Jordan Ayew are playing as the attacking midfielders while Antoine Semenyo is the lone strike in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Ghana is aiming to open their campaign with a win. The game kicks off at 20:00GMT.

The Black Stars are on a quest to lift their fifth AFCON title after recent failures on the continental stage including dropping out in the group stage in the last edition.

The game at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium will be an interesting one with Cape Verde dubbed one of the surprise packages for this year’s competition.

Since George Alhassan led them to triumph in 1982, the Black Stars have failed to add to their four AFCON titles and were knocked out of the group stage by Comoros in a dramatic manner two years ago.

Since taking over as manager of Ghana last year, Chris Hughton has battled to steer the team on the right path.

Three losses in five games, including a goalless draw with Namibia in preparation for this tournament, have put them out of the top 60 of the world rankings on the eve of AFCON.

Ghana will face Cape Verde for the sixth time in their history having won four and lost the other one in their previous five meetings.

While a 2-0 loss to Tunisia in their warm-up game was disappointing, the Blue Sharks know their opponents are under more pressure to win the game on Sunday, so they can play without fear against the Black Stars.

The game is set to kick off at 20:00 GMT.

Ghana’s possible starting lineup:

• Ofori, Seidu, Djiku, Salisu, Mensah, Amartey, Baba, J. Ayew, Kudus, Paintsil, Williams

Cape Verde possible starting lineup:

• Vozinha, Semedo, Borges, Pico, Stopira, Rocha, Costa, Monteiro, Mendes, Rodrigues, Bebe

Prediction

• Ghana 2-1 Cape Verde

The four-time African champions will take on Cape Verde in their Group B opener on Sunday, January 14 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium with kick-off scheduled at 20:00GMT.

Speaking ahead of the game, the former Newcastle United and Brighton boss said the approach of the Black Stars would be the same.

According to him, the playing body would like to open their campaign with a win.

“There is not one bad team in this tournament,” the 64-year-old said.

“Our approach to every game is the same. We would like to begin on a winning note,” he added.

Ghana who last won the AFCON tournament in 1982 has gone 42 years with lifting the prestigious trophy.

The Black Stars will take on Egypt in their second group game on Thursday, January 18 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium before wrapping up their group games against Mozambique at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on January 22, 2024.

The Organization says it has not reported a single case of local transmission in three years which experts have described this as a major achievement.

Malaria is a huge killer on the continent. In 2022, 580,000 people in Africa died from the disease, amounting to 95% of fatalities worldwide.

The disease is caused by a complex parasite that is spread by mosquito bites.

Vaccines are now being used in some places but monitoring the disease and avoiding mosquito bites are the most effective ways to prevent malaria.

Surveillance officers have been detecting cases early, as well as controlling mosquitoes.

Cape Verde’s plan for malaria control has also ensured free care and diagnostic services for international travellers and migrants, with the aim of stemming the tide of cases imported from mainland Africa.

“This success reflects the hard work and dedication of countless health professionals, collaborators, communities and international partners. It is a testimony to what can be achieved through collective commitment to improving public health,” Cape Verde’s Health Minister Dr Filomena Gonçalves told the BBC.

Malaria was once detected on all of Cape Verde’s nine inhabited islands, but in recent years could only be found on one, Sáo Tiago – where the final efforts were concentrated.

The WHO’s Dr Achu said the fact that the country is an archipelago is also an important factor in its success.

On an island, it is easier to map out the areas most affected by the disease and see how it is being transferred from one island to another, compared to a continuous land mass.

In badly affected countries such as Nigeria, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is a highly mobile population regularly crossing borders, making it difficult for one country to eradicate the disease on its own.

Cape Verde’s success “gives us hope that with existing tools, as well as new ones including vaccines, we can dare to dream of a malaria-free world”, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Cape Verde, a small island nation off the coast of West Africa, has taken years to reach this point by strengthening its health systems and increasing access to diagnosis and treatment of all cases.

The last country in sub-Saharan Africa to be declared malaria-free was the island nation of Mauritius in 1973. Algeria, in North Africa, achieved this status in 2019.

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