The 2026 World Cup has expanded to 48 teams and is being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, opening the field to nations that previously fell short of qualification, according to ESPN. The record for World Cup debutants (excluding the inaugural 1930 tournament) is six, a mark set in 2006 when Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago and Ukraine all made their first appearances.
As many as nine possible newcomers were still in contention heading into the March playoffs, but only four countries will make their tournament debuts in 2026. Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan have secured spots at the finals, according to ESPN.
Cape Verde is a volcanic archipelago of 10 islands off Africa’s west coast and clinched qualification by winning Group D in African qualifying, edging Cameroon to the top position, ESPN reports. With a population of roughly 525,000, Cape Verde is the third-smallest nation by population to reach a World Cup, after Iceland in 2018 and Curaçao. The decisive result came Oct. 13 when Cape Verde beat Eswatini 3-0 at home, prompting celebrations in the capital Praia, according to ESPN.
Members of Cape Verde’s squad have spoken about the role of music and food in team cohesion. Defender Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes told ESPN he felt nervous before the Eswatini match but that dancing and music lifted the mood before kickoff. He said the dressing-room often features traditional funaná music and that players eat the national dish, Cachupa, together. The Blue Sharks reached the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals in 2013 and 2023, and the government reportedly gave people the day off to watch the qualifying match. Cape Verde were drawn in Group H alongside Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, according to ESPN.
Jordan is described by ESPN as an Arab country on the east bank of the Jordan River that borders Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank. It has become a popular tourist destination for its UNESCO heritage sites and for the Dead Sea, which is the lowest point on Earth. Jordan fan Zaid Al Atiyat told ESPN that Petra, the ancient city and archaeological site, is the country’s most famous tourist attraction.
