Monday Jun 01, 2026. 14:00
Cape Verde is one of four nations making their World Cup debut in 2026, alongside Uzbekistan, Jordan and Curaçao. The Blue Sharks were given no favours for their maiden global appearance, as they will come up against two former champions, Spain and Uruguay, as well as Saudi Arabia in Group H.
Coached by Bubista, who has been in charge of the team for over six years, Cape Verde secured their ticket to the 2026 finals by topping Group D in the CAF region – ahead of heavyweights and World Cup regulars Cameroon.
Their captain (as well as most-capped player and all-time leading goal scorer) is winger Ryan Mendes, while the likes of goalkeeper Vozinha, veteran defender Stopira, midfielders Jamiro Monteiro and Kevin Pina, and forwards Garry Rodrigues, Will Semedo and Jovane Cabral will make up the highly-experienced spine of the team in North America.
Nickname: Blue Sharks
Previous World Cup appearances: N/A
Best World Cup performance: N/A
World Cup record: N/A
2026 Qualification record: P10 W7 D2 L1 GF16 GA8
2026 World Cup fixtures (Group H, times CAT)
– Spain v Cape Verde, Monday 15 June, 18:00
– Uruguay v Cape Verde, Monday 22 June, 00:00
– Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia, Saturday 27 June, 02:00
Head coach: Bubista
Pedro Leitao Brito, better known simply as Bubista, has been in charge of Cape Verde’s senior national team since 2020 and has led the Blue Sharks to several remarkable milestones, including the quarterfinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, and a first-ever qualification to the World Cup.
Captain: Ryan Mendes
Cape Verde’s most-capped (96) player and all-time leading goal scorer (22), Ryan Mendes will add a further achievement to his international career by wearing the armband at their first-ever World Cup. The tricky winger comes into the tournament after a good season with Igdir in the Turkish top flight.
Key player: Jamiro Monteiro
A box-to-box midfielder who has a solid all-round game and covers plenty of ground, Jamiro Monteiro will be at the heart of Cape Verde’s play at the 2026 World Cup. The 32-year-old will be returning to familiar territory, having played for MLS clubs from 2019 to 2023.