Cabo Verde will play in a World Cup for the first time when the 2026 FIFA World Cup opens on 11 June in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For Bubista, the milestone is already bigger than the tournament itself, a breakthrough he said carries pride, emotion and a new kind of visibility for the island nation.
“É o sentimento de muito orgulho e muita emoção,” Bubista said, describing the achievement as proof of what Cabo Verde can do on football’s biggest stage. He said the team wants to help make the country better known in the world, and that the reaction from supporters in the islands and in the diaspora has been deeply positive.
The coach framed the moment in national terms. Cabo Verde, he said, is geographically small but defined by dignity, hard work and an enormous capacity for resilience. That, he argued, is what has carried the Tubarões Azuis to a place few imagined they would reach, with the country’s flag now set to stand among the world’s biggest football powers. “Ver a nossa bandeira ao lado das maiores potências do futebol mundial não tem preço,” he said.
The scale of the task ahead is plain. Cabo Verde has been drawn with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, a group that immediately turns a historic debut into a steep test. Spain and Uruguay are both former world champions, while Bubista said Saudi Arabia arrives as the Asian champion after investing heavily in football development. The coach did not talk like a man looking for an upset headline. He said Cabo Verde aims to be organized, disciplined and competitive, and that his players will face every opponent with dignity, confidence and without fear.
That is what makes the debut so compelling now: the celebration has already happened, but the hard part starts with the tournament itself. The World Cup runs until 19 July, and Cabo Verde’s next confirmed step is to take the field in its group matches, carrying the hopes of a country and a diaspora that have waited for this stage for generations.
