标签： Africa

Against all pre-tournament expectations, the tiny Atlantic island nation of Cape Verde is writing one of the most memorable underdog stories in modern World Cup history, sitting just one result away from advancing to the knockout stage on their tournament debut after a thrilling 2-2 draw with two-time world champions Uruguay.

The Blue Sharks, ranked 63rd in the FIFA world rankings, already sent shockwaves through global football earlier in the group stage when they held 65 places higher-ranked Spain to a stalemate. On Sunday, they replicated and even built on that performance to earn a hard-fought point against a Uruguayan side long established as World Cup stalwarts, cementing their reputation as the most entertaining surprise package of the 2026 expanded tournament.

With a total population of just under 525,000 spread across 10 Atlantic islands according to World Bank data, Cape Verde has punched far above its weight against two of the most experienced sides in the competition. Unlike the Spain draw, where goalkeeper Vozinha emerged as an unlikely social media sensation (growing from 40,000 pre-tournament Instagram followers to more than 15 million after his heroics), this time the Blue Sharks’ defensive organization limited Uruguay to only two shots on target, and the match-winning contributions came from the attacking end. Notably, Vozinha was able to share the moment with his mother, who could not attend the Spain match due to prohibitive U.S. visa costs but was present in Miami to watch her son’s side hold the South American giants.

From the opening whistle, Cape Verde adopted a bold, attack-minded game plan, constantly pushing the ball upfield to put Uruguay under sustained pressure, leaving the tournament heavyweights reeling against the debutants’ energetic, free-flowing play. The first history-making moment came in the first half, when Kevin Pina stepped up to take a 30-yard free kick. Uruguay’s defensive wall jumped to block the effort, but split open unexpectedly, allowing Pina’s well-struck shot to arrow through the gap and beat keeper Fernando Muslera for Cape Verde’s first ever World Cup goal. Back in the nation’s capital Praia, the strike sparked wild celebrations among fans who had already dared to dream after the Spain draw.

Written off by almost all pundits before kickoff – including former Wales defender Ashley Williams and former South Africa striker Benni McCarthy, who both predicted a Uruguay win on BBC One – Cape Verde refused to conform to expectations. After Uruguay fought back to take the lead, Helio Varela capitalized on a defensive mistake to produce a clinical finish, rounding a stranded Muslera with a deft touch before slotting the ball into an empty net to equalize. In the second half, Cape Verde combined the steely defensive resilience that earned them a point against Spain with continued attacking threat, pushing hard for a winning goal that would have delivered an even bigger upset. They ended the match with 12 total shots, four on target – double Uruguay’s tally, with 10 of those chances coming in the second half as they chased victory.

The stunning back-to-back performances have already won over neutral fans and pundits alike. McCarthy told BBC One after the match that he had “a new lease of respect” for Cape Verde, praising their bravery and sensational play: “They really came out to play. I think they’ve won a lot of people’s hearts after this performance.” Williams called it the “most entertaining” game he had covered at the 2026 World Cup so far, adding: “Even at the end, they wanted the win – and that’s against Uruguay.” Former England forward Sue Smith described the display as “outstanding from Cape Verde yet again”, noting that “the story of this team keeps going.” Former Scotland forward James McFadden highlighted the side’s joy as a key part of their appeal: “The biggest thing for me is how much Cape Verde are enjoying themselves. It’s been a joy to watch.”

The result leaves Cape Verde third in Group H, level on two points with Uruguay, entering their final group stage match against Saudi Arabia. Under the new expanded World Cup format, the Blue Sharks have a clear path to the knockout stage: three points from Saturday’s fixture will be enough to seal progression, and pundits including McCarthy believe the underdogs are well positioned to pull off the win. Only two teams ranked lower than Cape Verde’s current 63rd place have ever advanced to the World Cup knockout stage before: 74th-ranked Nigeria in 1998 and 70th-ranked Russia in 2018. If Cape Verde can beat Saudi Arabia, they will not only make their own tournament history, but cap off one of the most remarkable underdog runs the World Cup has ever seen. Cape Verde are also the first World Cup debutants to remain unbeaten through their first two group games since Senegal’s iconic run in 2002, putting them in elite underdog company already. As Williams put it: “They’ll be going into the Saudi Arabia game with their tails up thinking ‘we can qualify here.’” Speaking from a U.S. fan park, one Cape Verde fan summed up the mood surrounding the team: “everybody doubted us, everybody thought we weren’t going to make it. We’re here now.”

In a moment of unscripted, raw sports joy that has captured global attention, a Cape Verde football fan’s euphoric reaction went viral during a live BBC News interview amid the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The encounter unfolded when BBC reporter Paul Njie was mid-conversation with the supporter, who had traveled to support his underdog national side in their group stage match against Uruguay. Just as the interview was underway, Cape Verde netted their first ever goal in World Cup history – a milestone that had been decades in the making for the small island nation. The fan immediately abandoned any composure, erupting into wild celebration, yelling and jumping in a moment of unfiltered elation that quickly spread across social media platforms. The clip, published six hours ago by the BBC’s World Cup section, has already racked up hundreds of interactions, with fans around the world celebrating the historic moment for Cape Verde alongside the elated supporter. Note that full video access is currently restricted to users located within the United Kingdom.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — As the sun rose over the Canadian city this weekend, one of African football’s most promising 2026 World Cup stories was waiting to be written. Ranked 28th globally, Egypt’s national team, affectionately nicknamed the Pharaohs, steps onto the pitch Sunday against 83rd-ranked New Zealand (the All Whites) on the cusp of a historic milestone: the program’s first ever World Cup match victory. A win would not only cement that long-awaited breakthrough, it would also put Egypt firmly in the driver’s seat to advance to the tournament’s knockout round.

Speaking to reporters Saturday through an Arabic translation, Egyptian head coach Hossam Hassan summed up the weight of the moment: “This match is everything in our world for the moment.”

Egypt’s chase of history is far from an isolated story — it is the latest chapter in a dramatic, long-building surge in African soccer’s standing on the global stage. This year’s expanded 48-team World Cup format has opened new doors for the continent, granting African nations more slots than ever before to compete against the world’s elite. A record 10 African squads have qualified for the 2026 tournament, a milestone that reflects the growing depth of talent across the region.

“The national squads of Africa have proven their great performance many times at the World Cup, including this one,” Hassan said. That claim is already backed up by results from the early stages of the tournament. Morocco captured global attention with a legendary run to the World Cup semifinals in 2022, and this year, other African sides have already delivered upset after upset.

Ghana opened its tournament with a win over Panama, while Ivory Coast defeated 2022 runner-up Ecuador in its first match. Four African squads, Egypt included, earned draws in their opening fixtures. Egypt’s 1-1 draw with Belgium marked the first World Cup point the program has earned since 1990, and it also delivered two more firsts: the Pharaohs held a lead over Belgium going into halftime, only the second time the team has ever held a lead against any opponent in World Cup history.

Early tournament upsets have cemented African soccer’s new reputation as a threat to traditional powerhouses. Morocco held off five-time World Cup champion Brazil, Congo secured a hard-fought draw against Portugal, and tiny Cape Verde pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the tournament so far, holding pre-tournament favorite Spain to a scoreless 0-0 draw after notching its first ever World Cup goal earlier in the competition.

Out of all the rising African contenders, Egypt stands out as a long-standing regional powerhouse. The Pharaohs have claimed the Africa Cup of Nations title seven times, more than any other nation, and Hassan says the squad is determined to prove that its dominance translates to the global stage. “We want to represent African football and Arab football,” said Hassan, who is Egypt’s all-time leading men’s goal scorer and competed for the Pharaohs at the 1990 World Cup.

Hassan’s decades of experience at the top of the sport have been instrumental in guiding Egypt back to the World Cup after the squad missed out on qualification in 2022. The team is led by global superstars Mo Salah and Omar Marmoush, with Salah just two goals away from matching Hassan’s all-time scoring record for the national side. A talented crop of young talent adds depth to the roster, including 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim, who made his senior international debut in a friendly against Russia just last month — one of dozens of young African stars making their first World Cup appearances this year.

Hassan says the team’s biggest motivation is delivering for the millions of Egyptian fans back home and across the diaspora. “We want to live up to the aspirations of the Egyptian fans,” he said. “I only think about bringing happiness to our fans.”

After Sunday’s match against New Zealand, Egypt closes out its group stage play with a match against Iran in Seattle. As the Pharaohs stand one win away from making program history, they are not just playing for their own nation — they are playing for the entire continent of Africa, as the world watches African soccer’s rise unfold.

At the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup Group 1 clash hosted at Old Trafford in Manchester, all-rounder Marizanne Kapp delivered a career-defining all-round performance to hand South Africa a dramatic six-wicket victory over India, reigniting the Proteas’ chances of reaching the tournament’s semi-finals. With just five deliveries remaining in their chase, South Africa crossed the finish line of a 159-run target, capping off a stunning comeback led by Kapp’s unbeaten 45-ball knock of 81, which included seven fours and four blistering sixes. This result leaves both sides level on four points in the group standings, setting up a decisive final stretch of group stage fixtures for both nations.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, playing her milestone 200th T20 International match, won the toss and opted to bat first, a decision that got off to a promising start. Opening batter Shafali Verma got the side off to a flying start, notching 31 runs off just 15 deliveries with three boundaries and one six, lifting India to 59-2 by the end of the mandatory powerplay. But the innings stalled early: both opening batters were back in the pavilion before the powerplay ended, with Smriti Mandhana bowled while attempting a risky scoop shot and Verma edging a short delivery behind to the wicketkeeper. No subsequent Indian batter was able to match Verma’s aggressive start, and despite a late 29 runs from 21 balls from Deepti Sharma, India could only post a competitive total of 158-7 from their 20 overs. Kapp was India’s undoing with the ball as well, claiming two key wickets for just 27 runs, including the scalps of Mandhana and dangerous lower-order batter Richa Ghosh, while Shabnim Ismail backed her up with 2-28 to keep India’s total in check.

South Africa’s chase got off to a rocky start, with Indian leg-spinner Sree Charani picking up three wickets for 24 runs, including two strikes in three balls that left the Proteas reeling at 25-2 by the final over of the powerplay. It was at this precarious juncture that Kapp joined Tazmin Brits at the crease to rebuild the innings. The pair started cautiously, reaching only 59 runs by the halfway point of the chase, before gradually shifting gears and building a match-winning partnership. When Brits fell for 40 runs off 36 balls, caught in the deep off Verma, the partnership was just three runs short of a century, leaving Kapp with the majority of the chase still ahead. Minutes later, Kapp survived a major scare when Indian spinner Radha Yadav dropped a straightforward catch at long-on, a missed opportunity that would prove costly for India.

Kapp made India pay immediately for the error, hammering two consecutive sixes over the ropes off Deepti Sharma in the penultimate over of the chase, putting the Proteas within touching distance of victory. Chloe Tyron eventually sealed the win with a edge for four off Nandni Sharma in the 19th over, securing the six-wicket win with five balls to spare. Post-match, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt heaped praise on the match-winner, calling Kapp the most impactful big-match player she has ever shared a dressing room with. “Whenever something is on the line or we’re playing in a World Cup she finds a way,” Wolvaardt said. “She said she didn’t feel great today so I hope she doesn’t feel great every game! She just has that competitive nature and it brings out the best in her.” Analysis of the match also noted that India struggled to adjust their bowling plans when Kapp moved around the crease and targeted the area behind square on the leg side, allowing her to accumulate runs at will in the back half of the innings.

For the group standings, the result puts South Africa level with India on four points, behind unbeaten group leaders Australia who sit top with six points from two matches. South Africa still has group fixtures against Bangladesh and the Netherlands to come, while India now faces a do-or-die clash against Australia at Lord’s on 28 June, a match that will likely decide which of the two sides advances to the semi-finals from Group 1. Having suffered a 65-run thrashing at the hands of Australia in their opening group fixture, this win was a must for South Africa to retain any realistic hope of claiming one of the two Group 1 semi-final spots, and Kapp’s historic knock has kept their campaign firmly on track.

Ahead of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ghanaian international forward Antoine Semenyo has shared bold confidence in the depth and potential of his national team’s squad, stating the group contains a number of little-known rising talents set to make their mark on the global stage.

In comments made following the team’s recent late 1-0 friendly win over Panama – a result that saw Ghana snatch victory in the closing minutes to break Panama’s hopes of an upset – Semenyo emphasized that the current Ghana roster stands out as an exceptionally tight-knit and talented group. Beyond the established names that already draw global attention, the squad harbors what Semenyo calls “hidden gems” – underrated players whose skill and impact will become widely recognized by the time the 2026 World Cup kicks off.

The pre-World Cup confidence from Semenyo comes as Ghana continues to build and test its squad in international friendly matches, using the warm-up fixtures to unearth new talent and gel as a unit ahead of the quadrennial tournament. The late winning goal against Panama already gave a preview of the team’s fighting spirit, and Semenyo’s comments hint that fans can expect more surprises from the African side when they compete in 2026.

Thousands of elated Morocco supporters poured into the streets of the capital Rabat to celebrate their national team’s hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Scotland in a 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage matchup. The narrow, game-deciding win sent local fans into celebrations that lasted for hours after the final whistle, with crowds waving national flags, chanting team slogans, and sharing joyful moments across the city. This result marked another standout performance for Morocco in the tournament, leaving Scottish fans disappointed after their side fell just short of pulling out a positive result in the tightly contested fixture. The match, which ended with a single-goal margin of victory for the North African side, reinforced Morocco’s growing reputation as a competitive force in international football, while the street celebrations in Rabat captured the deep national pride and passion that the World Cup ignites among local supporters. The celebration footage originally captured from Rabat shortly after the final whistle has been widely shared among football fans across global social platforms, highlighting the widespread excitement surrounding Morocco’s tournament run.

As 19-year-old Ivorian winger Yan Diomande steps onto the pitch Saturday for Ivory Coast’s critical second Group Stage World Cup match against Germany, the teenage sensation carries far more than national hope on his shoulders. Beyond widespread transfer speculation linking him to a historic £86 million move to Premier League giant Liverpool, Diomande’s every touch, every dribble and every goal is driven by a promise to the person who first believed in him: his little sister Roxanne, who passed away one year ago at age 15 after her drink was spiked.

In a raw, heartfelt open letter published this week by *The Players’ Tribune*, Diomande laid bare the grief and motivation that shape every moment of his career. “Everything I do on a football pitch, it’s for you,” the young attacker wrote. He explained that Roxanne’s unshakable belief in his talent has been the foundation of his rapid rise, framing every match not as just a game, but as a stage to honor the potential she always saw in him. “Every time I score, I’ll make sure everybody knows your name. I’ll make sure they don’t forget you,” he added.

Diomande described the numbness that has followed his sister’s death, writing: “Now, I don’t feel anything. It’s like I’m not even human. Since you died, I’m just blank. I don’t try to forget, because I know I won’t forget. All I can do is use the pain to work harder, and to do everything we dreamed about.” The loss was made even harder by circumstance: Diomande was living abroad in Spain, playing for second-tier side Leganes, when the tragedy occurred, cutting him off from his family in his darkest moment.

Today, after a breakout debut season in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig that yielded 12 goals and put European giants on high alert, Diomande says his focus at the 2026 World Cup is not personal glory, but honoring Roxanne, his family and the millions of Ivorians who see him as their new golden boy. “We’re here to represent millions of people and play for our loved ones and our families,” he said. “It makes us want to go out there and make an impact.”

Ivory Coast, making its fourth World Cup appearance after previous campaigns in 2006, 2010 and 2014, has never advanced past the group stage, even when fielding legendary talents like Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré. But an opening 1-0 win over Ecuador has put the side in a strong position to break that drought this year, and Diomande says the current squad carries a different energy than its predecessors. “I think we have more desire,” he explained. “There isn’t a lot of expectation on us, so we have nothing to lose and we’ll give it everything. That’s what our mentality needs to be.”

If Ivory Coast is to make its first ever knockout stage run, Diomande will be central to that success, and his teammates are already convinced of his impact. Manchester United winger Amad Diallo, who scored the winning goal against Ecuador off the bench, calls Diomande the squad’s “golden boy.” “Penetration, dribbling – his speciality, he’s someone who is very strong one on one,” Diallo noted. That skill was on full display in the Ecuador match, where Diomande completed four successful dribbles, more than any other player in the tournament through the first round of group matches.

For long-time observers of Ivorian football, Diomande’s rise has already cemented his status as the heir to Drogba, carrying the hopes of a nation. Mamadou Gaye, a veteran Ivorian journalist and broadcaster, recalled that Diomande first captured the Ivorian public’s heart during a 2025 World Cup qualifier against Kenya, where his talent was on full display. “At 19, he is the hope of a nation,” Gaye said.

Gaye also highlighted Diomande’s humble roots in a working-class neighborhood of Abidjan, where he shared everything from meals to a single bedroom with Roxanne growing up. “The shocking circumstances of her death highlight the precarious conditions that a lot of young footballers like him dream to get away from,” Gaye explained. “His letter to her is a cry of love and message about nefarious intentions and criminality understood by the youth of the Ivory Coast and Africa.”

On the pitch, Diomande’s statistical profile confirms his status as one of the most promising young wingers in European football. In his debut Bundesliga season, he led all league wingers in successful dribbles and duels won, while also ranking in the top five for shots on target, touches in the opposition penalty area, successful passes, chances created, assists and recoveries of possession. That all-around game, which combines dynamic attacking threat with relentless off-ball work, has drawn interest from top clubs across the continent, including Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, where BBC Sport understands the Premier League side has tabled an £86 million offer to RB Leipzig for his signature.

Kevin Hatchard, an English-language Bundesliga commentator who watched Diomande’s first matches in Germany, said the young attacker’s mentality sets him apart from other young prospects. “What marks him out as special is he always wants to take responsibility, being on the ball and making things happen all the time,” Hatchard explained. “He isn’t selfish either and his work-rate without the ball is incredible – he is willing to press and track back. He dovetails with the full-backs well and has a good awareness of what’s around him. He is always just really up for it – even when teams put two men on him, he relishes taking them on.”

Diomande’s path to the top has not been easy. After leaving Abidjan in 2015 for a youth academy spot in the United States, he went on trial with multiple Major League Soccer sides and English clubs including Bournemouth, Chelsea and Crystal Palace, before landing at Leganes, where he played only 10 La Liga matches and scored two goals before RB Leipzig purchased him for £17 million in 2024.

Today, even amid massive transfer speculation, Diomande has remained grounded, repeatedly expressing gratitude to RB Leipzig for giving him his first big break in top-flight football. Hatchard says he has the temperament to thrive immediately at any of the world’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool or PSG, noting that Diomande can unlock even the most compact low blocks with his dribbling or clever passing. Most of all, Hatchard says, Diomande plays with a singular drive: to prove he belongs at the top, and to make good on the faith Roxanne always had in him.