Cape Verde's Wafcon Debut: Underestimated Underdogs?

Cape Verde is embarking on its inaugural journey in the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, held in Morocco. Forward Sandra Martins has issued a warning, emphasizing that the island nation should not be overlooked as they compete for the first time. The team's football program is relatively new, having played its first match only in 2018.

Having missed previous Wafcon editions, Cape Verde successfully qualified for the current tournament by defeating Guinea and notably upsetting Mali in the qualification stages. They are set to face Ghana in their opening Group D match on Tuesday, followed by fixtures against Mali and Cameroon.

Martins expressed confidence in her team's potential, stating that they aim to win at least two games and potentially advance to the quarter-finals. The tournament also serves as a pathway to the 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup, with semi-finalists securing direct qualification and quarter-final losers competing for additional spots.