Cape Verde on Verge of Historic World Cup Qualification

With just two matchdays remaining in Africa's World Cup qualifying campaign, the race for a place at the 2026 tournament in North America is reaching a dramatic climax. The biggest story is unfolding in Group D, where the tiny island nation of Cape Verde is on the cusp of securing its maiden World Cup qualification.

Leading the group with 19 points, four ahead of second-placed Cameroon, Cape Verde needs just one more victory from its remaining fixtures to book its place on the global stage. This would be a remarkable achievement, as the country of just over 500,000 people would become the second-smallest World Cup qualifier in history, behind only Iceland.

In contrast, Cameroon's qualifying campaign has been undermined by managerial instability and administrative issues. Belgian coach Marc Brys has adopted a defeatist attitude, acknowledging that his team can no longer finish top of the group, and will instead focus on securing a spot as one of the best runners-up.

Elsewhere, South Africa has been docked three points for fielding an ineligible player, leaving Benin in a strong position to claim a historic first World Cup qualification. Nigeria, meanwhile, appear to have left their comeback too late, needing a dramatic improvement to salvage their campaign.

Despite the setbacks, the next week of African football promises to be a pulsating affair, with several nations on the verge of making history.