Statabet 26 47 days until kickoff
Cape Verde
Group H · Pot 4

Cape Verde
Tubarões Azuis.

Debutants — but no surprise. Africa Cup of Nations 2025 — quarterfinals. The entire squad is based in the Portuguese and French leagues. Coach Bubista (Pedro Britu) guided the national team through qualifying with virtually no defeats and was named CAF Coach of the Year 2025.

Route · Group H
Mon · 15 JUNSpain — Cape Verde — · —Atlanta · 12:00 Sun · 21 JUNUruguay — Cape Verde — · —Miami · 18:00 Fri · 26 JUNCape Verde — Saudi Arabia — · —Houston · 19:00
Wed 1 JULRound of 16 · H vs ?New York / NJ
National anthem
Cântico da Liberdade
0:00
Wikimedia
Full path · 7 stages

National team
calendar.

Matchday 1
15 JUN · MON · 12:00
away at Spain
Atlanta · Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Matchday 2
21 JUN · SUN · 18:00
away at Uruguay
Miami · Hard Rock Stadium
Matchday 3
26 JUN · FRI · 19:00
vs Saudi Arabia
Houston · NRG Stadium
Round of 16
28 JUN–3 JUL · FRI
if they qualify
Atlanta · Boston · Vancouver · Guadalajara and 12 more
Round of 16
4 JUL–7 JUL · TUE
if they qualify
Atlanta · Dallas · Kansas City · Los Angeles and 4 more
Quarterfinals
9 JUL–11 JUL · SAT
if they qualify
Atlanta · New York / NJ · San Francisco · Philadelphia
Semifinals
14 JUL–15 JUL · WED
if they qualify
Atlanta · Dallas
Final
19 JUL · SUN
if they qualify
New York / NJ

Group stage confirmed, playoffs — date range and potential venues. Playoff schedule to be finalized after Round of 16 draw.

1
Debut
0
No titles
#70
FIFA Ranking
501
Odds to win
Coaching staff

Bubista —
the first coach World Cup.

PB

Pedrinho Bubista

Head Coach · Cape Verde · since 2022

Local academy product, led the national team through AFCON 2023 (quarterfinals) and the entire qualification cycle. The appointment is principled — Bubista is the first in the national team's history to refuse a foreign coaching staff.

AFCON 2023 QF Unbeaten qualifying 22 matches · 14 wins
Stars

Four players
to watch.

Ryan Mendes

Ryan Mendes

Forward · № 11 · 36 years old

Captain and legend. The best goalscorer and record holder for appearances in the national team's history — will lead the "Sharks" to their debut World Cup.

File
Logan Costa

Logan Costa

Defender · № 3 · 25 years old

Centre-back for Villarreal — the only Cape Verdean in the top-5 leagues. Returned after cruciate ligament injury in April.

File
Roberto Lopez

Roberto Lopez

Defender · № 4 · 33 years old

Shamrock Rovers captain, nicknamed "Pico". Seasoned defensive leader who found the national team through LinkedIn.

File
LM

Jamiro Monteiro

Midfielder · № 10 · 32 years old

Creative number 10, who played in MLS and Ligue 1. Chief playmaker — responsible for transitions.

File
Squad · preliminary list

Twenty-six players
under one roof.

Preliminary Final FIFA squad list — by May 27, 2026.

Goalkeepers

1
Vozinha Shamrock Rovers 39 years old · 191 cm · €0.3M
12
Marcio Rosa Montana 29 years old · 188 cm · €0.4M
22
CJ dos Santos San Diego 25 years old · 195 cm · €0.8M

Defenders

2
Steven Moreira Columbus Crew 31 years old · 178 cm · €2.5M
3
Logan Costa Villarreal 25 years old · 187 cm · €10M
4
Roberto Lopez Shamrock Rovers 33 years old · 187 cm · €0.5M
5
João Paulo CSKA Moscow 27 years old · 183 cm · €1.5M
13
Sidni Lopesh Kabral Benfica 22 years old · 188 cm · €2.0M
14
Dinei Al-Bataeh 31 years old · 184 cm · €0.4M
15
Vagner Pina Trabzonspor 23 years old · 178 cm · €3.0M
23
Jorginho Soares Montana 26 years old · 184 cm · €0.4M

Midfielders

6
Deroy Duarte Ludogorets 26 years old · 184 cm · €1.5M
8
Kevin Lenini Krasnodar 29 years old · 178 cm · €3.0M
10
Jamiro Monteiro San Jose Earthquakes 32 years old · 176 cm · €1.2M
16
Telmu Arcanjo Vitória Guimarães 24 years old · 175 cm · €2.5M
17
Laros Duarte Puskás Academy 29 years old · 178 cm · €0.6M
18
Yannick Semedo Farenese 30 years old · 184 cm · €0.7M
20
Zhordan Mendesh Rodez 22 years old · 175 cm · €1.0M
21
Aioni Santos Sparta Rotterdam 20 years old · 177 cm · €1.5M

Forwards

7
Harry Rodrigues Apollon 35 years old · 174 cm · €0.5M
9
Dairon Livramento Casa Pia 24 years old · 178 cm · €2.0M
11
Ryan Mendes Igdir 36 years old · 178 cm · €0.3M
19
Zhovane Kabral Estrela Amadora 27 years old · 173 cm · €1.0M
24
Villi Semedu Omonia 31 years old · 188 cm · €0.5M
25
Nunu Da Koshta Istanbul Basaksehir 35 years old · 184 cm · €0.4M
26
Kenny Rocha Santos Al-Ahly (Cairo) 28 years old · 178 cm · €0.5M
History

Debut —
в USA.

First time.

Debut. Previously — the only team to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals twice in a row (2013, 2023). All 26 players were born in Cape Verde but play for European clubs.

Debut
2026DebutFirst World Cup in history—