After the latest group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded, Cape Verde made a phenomenal history – they became the smallest country by land area and population to reach the knockout stage in FIFA World Cup history. With Curaçao's elimination, this record was officially set.
Among all participating national teams in this FIFA World Cup, only Curaçao, as one of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has a smaller area and population than Cape Verde.
In the final group stage match, Cape Verde drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia. With this crucial draw, the team from CAF successfully advanced as group runner-up, proudly entering the Round of 32 knockout stage.
This achievement is particularly significant for Cape Verde, participating in the FIFA World Cup for the first time. They created a surprise at the start of this tournament – in their first match against pre-tournament favorites Spain, the team staunchly defended, drawing 0-0 with their opponent, causing an upset. In their second match, they played a 2-2 draw with Uruguay, demonstrating strong competitiveness.
After three group stage matches, Cape Verde remained undefeated, ranking second in the group with 3 points, only behind Spain, and one point ahead of Uruguay, successfully emerging from the "group of death." Meanwhile, Uruguay lost to Spain in the same round, directly confirming their elimination, exiting the group stage along with Saudi Arabia.