Cape Verdean fans in Australia are in high spirits as their beloved island nation etched its name in history by advancing to the FIFA World Cup knockout stages for the very first time.
In a thrilling showdown on Saturday (AEST), Cape Verde secured their position in the Round of 32 by holding Saudi Arabia to a draw, thereby clinching the second spot in Group H.
This milestone is particularly significant for the small nation perched off the west coast of Africa, which boasts a population of around 500,000 and is marking its inaugural appearance at the World Cup.
Joao Costa, who spent his early years in Cape Verde and now resides in Melbourne with his family, expressed his eagerness to join the local Cape Verdean community in celebration after watching the match from home.
“We’re gonna maybe open a bottle of champagne with family and friends,” Costa enthused.
“The next game with Argentina, we’re definitely gonna watch it with the Cape Verdean diaspora here in Melbourne.”
“This is history.”
Costa said he only knew of two people born in Cape Verde who now live in Australia including his brother, although there is a larger community of Cape Verdean descendants.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2021 Census, just 40 Cape Verde-born people are living in Australia.
Cape Verde’s fairy-tale tournament
Cape Verde has emerged as one of the fairytale stories of the tournament, stunning the world by holding European champions and title favourites Spain to a scoreless draw in its opening match.
That was largely thanks to the efforts of goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias, known as Vozinha, who became one of the tournament’s breakout stars at the age of 40.
Vozinha made seven saves against Spain to be awarded player-of-the-match, with his Instagram following soaring from about 50,000 to more than 16 million after the match.
The goalkeeper, who has represented Cape Verde for 14 years, said “the dream has come true” after helping his country earn its first-ever World Cup point.
Holding back tears, he said he wished he could have shared the moment with his mother, who was unable to make the trip to the United States because she could not afford the visa.
In January, the US government added Cape Verde to a list of countries whose citizens must post a returnable bond of up to US$15,000 ($21,750) before they are granted entry.
The story took another emotional turn when his mother, Ana Cândida Évora, arrived in the United States ahead of Cape Verde’s second group match after finally securing a visa.
Cape Verde went on to draw 2-2 against Uruguay and hold Saudi Arabia to a scoreless draw, meaning they finished second in their group and qualified for the Round of 32.
They will take on reigning champions Argentina on 4 July.
You can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live, free and exclusive on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.