Overview

• Cabo Verde beat Eswatini 3-0 at home to clinch its debut World Cup berth.
• They finished African qualifying Group D on 23 points from 10 matches to secure automatic passage.
• The nation becomes one of the smallest ever to reach a World Cup, reported as second least-populated behind Iceland.
• FCF’s long-term strategy to recruit talent from its large diaspora shaped the squad, with 14 of 25 players born abroad in the latest call-up.
• The match was staged at Praia’s Estadio Nacional, with local authorities declaring a half-day and tickets selling out quickly.