Read for 2 minutesUpdated: June 27, 2026 07:34 AM IST
The final whistles blew within moments of each other in Guadalajara and Houston on Friday night. As Uruguay lost 0-1 to Spain, the expanded 48-team World Cup field enjoyed a historic result over Saudi Arabia at the Houston Stadium after strong resistance from Cape Verde.
Cape Verde, an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa, qualified for the World Cup knockouts at the first attempt by finishing second in Group H. The 56-year-old Bubista’s side, by size and population, became the smallest nation to qualify for the knockout stages of the World Cup, pushing Uruguay to third place, less than eight months after they reached the game’s grandest stage.
They opened their campaign by holding former champions Spain to a 0-0 draw, confirming their strength of attitude. But they can also provide aggressive ripostes as they held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw in their second match, dramatically increasing their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages.
On the final game day in the group stage, Cape Verde needed to avoid defeat to keep their chances of a knockout berth alive. Alex Bayna’s 42nd-minute strike saw Spain beat Uruguay in straight sets, with Cape Verde’s practical defense enough to make history.
FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group H Final Position
| rank | team | P | W | D | L | gd | Pt |
| 1 | Spain | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 |
| 2 | Cape Verde | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Uruguay | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -4 | 2 |
The road ahead does not get any easier as the World Cup debutants drew against world champions Argentina in the Round of 32 match to be played on July 4.
More to follow