Historic Day for Africa as Egypt and Cape Verde Secure Landmark World Cup Milestones

A historic day of group stage action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup saw two African nations achieve unprecedented tournament milestones. Egypt secured its first-ever win at a World Cup, while Cape Verde scored their first-ever goal at the tournament.

Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 at BC Place in Vancouver to get their first victory in their fourth World Cup. They last appeared at soccer’s showpiece event in 2018 but lost all three group games.

Perhaps an even bigger achievement, however, was Cape Verde scoring their first-ever World Cup goal in a dramatic 2-2 draw against two-time champions Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Cape Verde shocked the world by tying with heavyweights Spain in their opener. The island nation with a population of less than half a million inhabitants showed that it was no fluke and now have a real shot at progressing to the next stage.

Egypt Overcomes Halftime Deficit for Landmark Win

Egypt entered their ninth physical World Cup match in history searching for an elusive first victory. The prospects looked bleak at halftime after New Zealand center-back Finn Surman evaded his marker to head home from a Tim Payne corner in the 31st minute, giving the All Whites a deserved opening lead.

The second half belonged completely to Egypt captain Mohamed Salah, who catalyzed a dynamic three-goal comeback. The turnaround began when Mustafa Ziko scored with a powerful header to draw the Pharaohs level.

Egypt took the lead when Salah played a quick one-two with Ziko before sliding a precise finish past the New Zealand goalkeeper. The historic result was sealed late when Trezeguet headed home from a Salah corner, moving Egypt to the top of Group G with four points from two matches.

“It’s a great achievement for all the players,” Salah said after the match. “It’s a great win. It’s a great vibe. The next game is very ⁠important.”

After tying with Belgium in their opener, Egypt looks assured of a place in the last 32. They will face Iran in their final group game. If they win again, then they will top the group and could meet Cape Verde in the next phase.

Cape Verde Fairytale Continues with Historic First Goal

In Group H, debutants Cape Verde made history in the 21st minute when midfielder Kevin Pina curled a long-range free-kick through a disjointed Uruguayan wall to record the nation’s first-ever goal in a World Cup tournament.

Uruguay responded rapidly before the interval, turning the match around via quick-fire goals from Maxi Araujo and Agustin Canobbio. However, a defensive misunderstanding between Uruguay’s Mathias Olivera and veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera allowed Cape Verde substitute Helio Varela to intercept a square pass, flick the ball over the keeper, and slot into an empty net to secure the draw.

“This is something we owe to other smaller national teams — teams that struggled to qualify for a world tournament,” Cape Verde head coach Pedro Leitão Brito stated through an interpreter following the match, adding that his squad fully maintains the belief required to reach the knockout phase.

Cape Verde will now face Saudi Arabia in their final group game. If they avoid defeat again and Spain beats Uruguay, then they will secure the second spot to qualify for the last 32. They would then likely face defending champions Argentina. Finish in third spot, and they could face Egypt.

A Tournament Defined by New Ground

Cape Verde is one of four nations making their tournament debut in the expanded 48-team format. Other debutants, Jordan, Uzbekistan, and Curacao, all scored in their opening fixtures. None of the teams has won a match yet.

Along with Egypt, host Canada also secured its first-ever World Cup victory in a thumping 6-0 win over Qatar. Egypt’s win denied New Zealand their first-ever victory at the tournament.

Other teams chasing a first-ever World Cup win include Qatar, DR Congo, Haiti, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. With 32 teams advancing to the next stage, many nations have the chance to go further than ever before.

The tournament could also throw up a first-ever winner. The Netherlands has reached the final three times, but never lifted the trophy. They beat Sweden 5-1 on Saturday to all but seal their place in the next round. In their group, Japan also won impressively, beating Tunisia 4-0. No Asian team has ever won a World Cup.

The US has also been in fine form so far, winning its opening two matches to secure top spot in Group D. They will face one of the best third placed team’s in the next stage. Their best-ever finish at a World Cup was third place back in the inaugural tournament in 1930.