Cabo Verde v Saudi Arabia — World Cup 2026 preview

Cabo Verde meet Saudi Arabia in their final Group H fixture on 26 Jun 2026, kick-off 20:00 EST in Houston. A point would be enough to seal qualification for Cabo Verde if Spain beat Uruguay in the other match, while a win would guarantee their progression regardless of other results.

The tournament debutants have impressed, drawing 0-0 with Spain before fighting back to earn a 2-2 draw with Uruguay. The islands, home to an estimated 525,000 people, have relied on experienced goalkeeper Vozinha, who made seven saves against Spain and saw his Instagram following jump from 40,000 to over 15 million.

Forward Dailon Livramento finished qualifying as the group’s joint-top scorer with four goals, and coach Pedro Leitão Brito, known as Bubista, has emphasised a disciplined defensive shape since taking charge in 2020. Saudi Arabia sit fourth in the group after a 1-1 draw with Uruguay and a 4-0 defeat to Spain, leaving them in need of a response.

cabo verde, saudi arabia, world cup, group h, houston, vozinha, dailon livramento, bubista, spain, uruguay