Cape Verde, a small country dreaming big ahead of World Cup

Praia, Cape Verde: Silveria Nedio beamed as she watched young footballers from the soccer school she is in charge of battling on the pitch in Praia ahead of Cape Verde's first ever World Cup. catcross.org

"We are a small country, but the dream is big," she said.

For the first time in history, the tiny volcanic archipelago of just 525,000 people, one of the smallest countries in the world, has qualified for the competition.

The mood was exuberant on a recent morning in late May at the Bola pra Frente (Forward) soccer school, where students hone their skills.

Their dribbles, feints, belly flops and goals were greeted with cheers, as shouts such as "just pass the ball!" echoed about and youthful faces glistened with sweat.

Nedio, known as "Nita", is the president of the school, several of whose alumni are in the World Cup squad.

She believes that "during the competition, Cape Verde will be seen like France, Argentina, as one of the world's great teams".

The 60-year-old, who is also the coach of the country's women's team, started playing "at the age of six, in the street with the boys".

For Rafael Semedo, a 14-year-old student, Cape Verde's World Cup qualification "proves that with a lot of training and commitment, it's possible to achieve great things".

'Indescribable joy'

Football academies have proliferated across the archipelago in recent years, and enrolment has increased ever since the Blue Sharks qualified.

Among those schools is the renowned Escola de Preparacao Integral de Futebol (EPIF), which has also produced several of the World Cup squad's players.

Students seated in a circle listened with rapt attention as EPIF coach Odair Rodrigues spoke to them from the school grounds on the outskirts of Praia.

The youngsters began their warm-up, clapping in rhythm alongside other children from the underprivileged neighbourhood who played barefoot.

For Rodrigues, the World Cup qualification "represents the dream of many Cape Verdean coaches and footballers, the dream of the nation".

"My mission is to keep fuelling this enthusiasm among young people," he said.

(Files) Silveria Nedio “Nita”, historic manager of the Cape Verde women's national football team and director of the Bola Pra Frente football academy

EPIF aims to integrate students from across Cape Verde, including its poorer neighbourhoods, he explained.

Luciano Correia, 16, said the World Cup qualification created a moment of "indescribable joy".

"My grandparents and parents have never seen the national team qualify for the World Cup," he said.

Cape Verde play European champions Spain in their first match on June 15, followed by two-time World Cup winners Uruguay (June 22) and round off their group stage campaign against Saudi Arabia (June 27).

"We're going to face some very strong teams, but we have to go there with our heads held high, win or lose it will have been a good experience," Correia said.

At the end of May the Blue Sharks went on an island tour that garnered enthusiastic crowds and included a frenzied batucada concert, mingling with fans, players signing T-shirts and lively dancing.

"The entire Cape Verdean population is proud of the team, and people feel that the team is a reflection of our people," national team coach Pedro Leitao Brito told AFP.

Captain Ryan Mendes, who has been with the team for nearly 16 years, said he has "always dreamed" of this moment and hopes the World Cup "will open doors for many young people".

"There is talent in every sport" in Cape Verde, he said. "There's music too. There's so much to see in this country."

'Natural talent'

The Blue Sharks have benefitted from greater media coverage in recent years. Young people no longer only focus on Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi or European football, but also players from their own national team.

"Our level is very good," Nedio said, adding that "our children have natural talent, but we don't have many resources" for training.

As is often the case in the evenings, on weekends and on holidays, Gamboa Beach in Praia was packed with players, making do with whatever equipment they could find, in bare feet and with tyres marking the goal line.

A perspiring Jorge Pina said he believed that "the country is ecstatic" ahead of the World Cup.

"For us, football is like cachupa," he said, referencing Cape Verde's national dish.

"Football morning, noon and night, Cape Verde is all about football."

Doha: The National Sports Day Committee said it is continuing to receive and assess sports activities organized by ministries, government entities and private-sector institutions for the second edition of the National Sports Day Award 2026, with winners to be announced on February 1 next year.

The committee urged public and private institutions to take part in the initiative, which aims to promote healthy lifestyles, encourage physical activity and foster active workplace environments. It added that the award recognizes institutions that support community sports and help embed sports culture in daily life and the workplace.

It noted that participation requires registering event details through the Ministry of Sports and Youth's website, with submissions evaluated within seven days from the beginning of the month following the event.

The committee also underscored the importance of promoting sports activities on social media using the hashtags #IChoseSports and #SportIsLife, while tagging the National Sports Day account (QASportsForAll).

Participating entities are required to document events through photographs and videos, publish them on their official platforms, and complete the event registration form, including participant statistics and activity details.

According to the committee, the award's scoring system is based on four key criteria: the number of events organized, the duration of those events, participant turnout, and the extent of participation in other activities included in the Sport for All calendar.

Compliance with safety and security requirements, as well as the provision of necessary equipment and medical support teams, is also mandatory. On the sidelines of the 2025 National Sports Day celebrations, the Ministry of Sports and Youth honored the winners of the inaugural edition of the award.

The Ministry of Interior secured first place, followed by University of Doha for Science and Technology in second place and Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development in third.

Individuals were also recognized for their continued participation in community sports initiatives.

Doha, Qatar: As the countdown enters its final 10 days, the FIFA World Cup 2026 is moving into its final phase of preparation. Hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, the tournament will break new ground as the first 48-team edition, making it the biggest World Cup in history.

The expanded format marks the most significant change in the tournament’s structure since 1998, increasing the number of participating nations and matches.

A total of 104 matches will be played across 16 host cities over 39 days. From Mexico City’s historic Estadio Azteca to MetLife Stadium in New York-New Jersey, which will stage the final, the tournament spans multiple climates and football cultures across North America.

The expansion from 32 to 48 teams introduces a new competitive layer - 12 groups of four, followed by a round of 32 - placing greater emphasis on squad depth, rotation and injury management than any previous edition.

The United States will host the majority of matches, with Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle and other major hubs forming the backbone of the competition.

Mexico brings heritage and intensity through Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, while Canada completes the tri-nation structure with Toronto and Vancouver.

The opening match between Mexico and South Africa is scheduled for June 11 at Estadio Azteca, the iconic venue that bridges football history with its modern expansion. The final will be played on July 19 at MetLife Stadium.

HE Sheikh Mishaal bin Hamad Al-Thani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United States, welcomed the national team upon their arrival in the United States ahead of their participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Pictures: QFA pic.twitter.com/A9rJtycuRK

— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) May 31, 2026

Qatar and the Arab surge on the global stage

For Qatar, the 2026 edition carries added significance. Having made their World Cup debut as hosts in 2022, Al Annabi return as a qualified team for the first time through the competitive route.

The focus remains clear: competitiveness, progression, and a push to reach the knockout stage, a target that continues to shape their long-term international ambitions.

The team under coach Julen Lopetegui is eyeing a knockout stage berth.

“We have the ambition and the dream to be competitive in the World Cup because we won our right to be there,” Lopetegui said in a recent interview.

“No one gave us this opportunity. We earned it and now we have to be ready to do our best, being humble and understanding the level of our opponents.”

They will be joined by a strong Arab presence, including Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq and Jordan - the most extensive Arab representations in World Cup history. Morocco’s semi-final run at Qatar 2022 remains the benchmark, raising expectations across the Arab world as teams arrive in 2026 with greater belief and visibility.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni arrives with staff members ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Kansas City International Airport yesterday. (AFP)

Messi, Ronaldo and the changing of the guard

The football narrative, however, remains defined by its stars and shifting eras.

Lionel Messi will lead Argentina’s title defence after the 2022 triumph in Qatar, with speculation growing that this could be his final World Cup appearance.

His influence remains central not only to Argentina’s ambitions, but to the emotional arc of a generation that has shaped modern football.

Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, has said the 2026 tournament will be his last before retirement.

Across five World Cups, he has delivered defining moments and landmark goals, yet the World Cup remains the only major honour missing from a career built on dominance at every other level.

A general view of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The stadium will host Qatar's first match against Switzerland on June 13. (AFP)

Kylian Mbappe arrives as one of football’s defining figures, already a World Cup winner and finalist by the age of 27.

Behind him comes a new generation led by Lamine Yamal and Erling Haaland with Endrick, Florian Wirtz and Desire Doue among the young stars expected to shape the future of the game. Ousmane Dembele, meanwhile, enters the tournament in the finest form of his career.

Neymar, if fit, remains Brazil’s creative reference point, carrying both experience and expectation in what could also be a final global tournament cycle for several veterans.

Together, they underline a clear transition point in world football, from long-established icons to a new generation increasingly shaping the global stage.