Cape Verde made history by reaching the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after holding Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw in their final Group H match.
The result was enough to see the Blue Sharks finish second in the group with three points, ahead of two-time champions Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, securing qualification in their first-ever World Cup appearance.
Cape Verde will now face defending champions Argentina in the Round of 32 on July 3 in Miami.
The African debutants created the better chances throughout the match, with Willy Semedo testing Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais before later sending another effort wide. Kevin Pina also came close after the break with a powerful long-range strike that narrowly missed the target.
Al Owais was once again called into action late in the game, producing a crucial save to deny Laros Duarte and preserve the stalemate.
Saudi Arabia suffered an injury scare in the first half when defender Hassan Al Tambakti collapsed without contact and had to be stretchered off.
Cape Verde’s place in the knockout stage was confirmed after Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 in the other Group H fixture.
Following the final whistle, the Cape Verde players gathered around a mobile phone to watch the closing moments of the Spain-Uruguay match before celebrating their historic qualification.
The Blue Sharks became the first African nation since Ghana in 2006 to advance from the World Cup group stage on their tournament debut. Ranked 67th in the world, Cape Verde completed the group phase unbeaten after drawing against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
