cabo verde vs saudi arabia
Should there be a dramatic shift in the final standings and one of Cabo Verde or Saudi Arabia tops Group H, they will face the Runner-up of Group J.
With Argentina already locking up first place in Group J, this opponent will be either Austria or Algeria, depending on who wins their winner-takes-all final group match.
Finishing second in Group H sets up a massive knockout fixture against the powerhouse Winner of Group J. This means a guaranteed, high-stakes match against Argentina on July 3 in Miami.
If either team finishes 3rd and claims one of the eight “best third-place” slots to advance, the tournament’s matrix will pair them against a formidable group winner. Depending on the exact combination of advancing third-place teams, they will be slotted against one of four sides: Mexico (confirmed winners of Group A, which would mean playing in a hostile environment in Mexico City), France or Norway (Whoever clinches the top spot in Group I), England (The frontrunners to win Group L), Egypt or Iran (Whoever comes out on top of Group G)
In today’s other Group H game, Spain play Uruguay. To see both games unfold at once, check out GOAL’s guide on how to watch two games simultaneously.
Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia meet at Houston Stadium on June 26 in the final round of Group H fixtures at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the Blue Sharks needing only a point to secure a place in the knockout rounds.
Cabo Verde have been the tournament’s most compelling story so far. The archipelago nation, with a population of roughly 525,000, held Spain to a goalless draw on matchday one before coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Uruguay on June 21. Two points from two matches against sides of that calibre is a remarkable return for a team making their World Cup debut.
Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha has been central to everything. The 40-year-old made seven saves to deny Spain and has become the emotional symbol of this squad. Coach Bubista has built a disciplined defensive structure that has proved difficult to break down, and his side know that another point will be enough to reach the last 32 if Spain beat Uruguay in the parallel fixture.
Saudi Arabia arrive in Houston with their tournament hopes all but extinguished. Georgios Donis’s side drew 1-1 with Uruguay in their opener but were then beaten 4-0 by Spain on June 21, a result that left them propping up the group. The Green Falcons need a win and results to go their way to have any realistic chance of progressing.
Salem Al-Dawsari, the two-time Asian Player of the Year, remains the creative fulcrum for Saudi Arabia, while 22-year-old midfielder Musab Al-Juwayr will be tasked with controlling the tempo in the middle of the park. Lens right-back Saud Abdulhamid is the only member of the squad playing club football outside the country.
For Cabo Verde, forward Dailon Livramento finished as the joint-top scorer in qualifying with four goals and will carry the attacking threat. The question for Bubista is whether he goes for the win to guarantee progression or trusts his defensive structure to grind out the point his side likely needs.
