It is impossible not to talk about Cape Verde’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Three draws in the group stage – against European and world champions Spain, two-time world champions Uruguay, and three-time Asian champions Saudi Arabia – followed by a heroic exit in the Round of 32, where the Blue Sharks bowed out in extra time after scoring twice against reigning world champions Argentina. It was a remarkable campaign that resonated across the globe.
This achievement was no accident. It was the result of three decades of consistent work: investment in youth development through new football academies, expanded and modernized sports infrastructure across the country, sound organizational planning, and increasingly effective scouting among the children of the Cape Verdean diaspora, who today represent the national team with commitment, character, pride, and determination.
The Blue Sharks returned home after their elimination on the very day Cape Verde celebrated the 51st anniversary of its independence. The coincidence was rich in symbolism: a nation born by asserting its sovereignty celebrated, on that same July 5, the sons of the country who had shown the world that its sovereignty is matched by talent and spirit.
The visibility gained through this World Cup deserves special emphasis. Brazil and China – two demographic giants and longstanding partners of Cape Verde – became the biggest amplifiers of that international exposure.
Adding to this was the fortunate circumstance that the United States, home to the largest Cape Verdean community abroad, was one of the tournament’s host nations. There are encouraging precedents. After UEFA Euro 2016, Iceland recorded a 40 percent increase in tourism in the following years. Morocco experienced a surge in visitor demand after the 2022 World Cup. Cape Verde now has the same opportunity.
The pressing question is how to turn this visibility into development.
The new government, under the banner of “Cape Verde for All,” takes office at a particularly favorable moment. Converting this international exposure into tangible results – in tourism, the blue economy, the digital economy, renewable energy, and investment attraction – will be the defining challenge of this legislative term.
From China’s perspective, the opportunity also seems evident. The world’s largest source of outbound tourists and one of Africa’s leading foreign investors has discovered Cape Verde through football. But the partnership extends well beyond the sport. The digital economy, bilateral business opportunities, workforce training, infrastructure, and renewable energy are all areas where cooperation can take meaningful new steps forward.
Perhaps we no longer need to explain where Cape Verde is located. What we need to show is what Cape Verde can become. And this may well be the best moment in our history to do so.
