Egypt and Cape Verde are set for challenging World Cup opener matches, with both African nations preparing to face tough opponents in the 2026 tournament in North America.
Egypt, the seven-time African champions, is looking to add to their World Cup legacy after qualifying for the finals as the third African nation to secure a spot. Led by superstar Mohamed Salah, who scored twice in Egypt’s decisive 3-0 victory against Djibouti to clinch their spot at the World Cup, the team boasts an impressive unbeaten campaign with 23 points. Having participated in three previous World Cups, Egypt now aims to overcome their historic challenge of not winning a game in the World Cup tournament.
Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring in Egypt’s qualification match, then Mohamed Salah netted two goals after Adel initiated the scoring, allowing Egypt to triumph over the small Red Sea nation in Casablanca and claim top position in Group A. The Egyptian team’s unbeaten qualifying campaign has set high expectations for their World Cup performance.
Cape Verde, hoping to stage their first-ever World Cup appearance, will have to wait for their final opportunity to clinch the dream after settling for a dramatic 3-3 draw in an exhilarating Group D match in Libya. Despite trailing 3-1 early in the second half, Cape Verde managed to equalize with just eight minutes remaining, showing remarkable resilience. They had a chance to secure dream World Cup qualification in Tripoli during stoppage time but were thwarted by a controversial offside decision when four players were clear on a counter-attack in the dying moments.
Cape Verde still has a shot cleared off the line during stoppage time, and if they defeats Eswatini at home on Monday, they will become the second smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup. The small Red Sea nation’s qualification campaign has been marked by dramatic moments and narrow margins.
In a friendly match between the two teams on November 17, 2025, Egypt and Cape Verde ended in a 1-1 draw, with Garry Rodrigues scoring for Cape Verde from a penalty in the 7th minute and Omar Marmoush equalizing for Egypt in the 57th minute. Egypt later beat Cape Verde on penalties in another friendly, with goalkeeper Shobeir saving two penalty attempts.
Both teams will face Belgium and Spain respectively on Day 5 of the World Cup, with Spain v Cape Verde and Belgium v Egypt being among the key matches scheduled. These opening matches will be crucial tests for both African nations as they prepare to showcase their talents on the global stage.
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