Seven Portugal-based players have been named in Cape Verde’s 26-man squad by head coach Bubista for the country’s historic debut at the FIFA World Cup.
The selected players representing Portuguese clubs include goalkeeper Vozinha (Desportivo de Chaves), defender Stopira (Torreense), midfielder Sidny Cabral (Benfica), and fellow midfielders Telmo Arcanjo (Vitória de Guimarães) and Yannick Semedo (Vizela). They are joined in the attack by forwards Jovane Cabral (Estrela da Amadora) and Dailon Livramento (Casa Pia).
Bubista has made several adjustments to the squad compared to the historic group that secured World Cup qualification back in October 2025. Among the new inclusions is goalkeeper Carlos Santos, who plays in the United States for San Diego FC, alongside the high-profile international returns of defender Logan Costa (Villarreal) and forwards Jovane Cabral and Gilson Benchimol.
Speaking at a press conference in Praia, the national team coach addressed the roster changes, explaining that various circumstances, including recent player injuries, necessitated modifications to the final selection.
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The head coach expressed deep satisfaction with the global progression of Cape Verdean football talent, noting that his selection pool extends far beyond Portugal. He acknowledged the difficult decisions involved in narrowing down the list, extending his apologies to the high-quality players who missed out on the final selection, while reiterating that the chosen squad represents the absolute best configuration for the team’s historic campaign.
Bubista emphasized that his ultimate objective is for the Blue Sharks to represent Cape Verde with immense dignity, character, and complete fearlessness on the global stage.
The squad members who have already concluded their domestic club seasons will begin a promotional tour across the Cape Verdean islands on Tuesday to build momentum ahead of the tournament. The team will then be officially decorated by Cape Verdean President José Maria Neves in Praia on Saturday before flying to Portugal for an intensive pre-tournament training camp.
Cape Verde will kick off their debut World Cup campaign on June 15 against Spain in Atlanta, USA. Drawn into a challenging Group H, the Blue Sharks will also face Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in the group stage.
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June 11 to July 19, marks the first edition to feature an expanded 48-team format, with the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, alongside the eight best third-placed teams, advancing to a new round-of-32 knockout stage.
