Cape Verde fought back from behind to earn a 2-2 draw against Uruguay on June 22 in a Group H match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, keeping their hopes of advancing to the Round of 32 alive with one fixture left, according to Qatar News Agency. The encounter at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami saw the debutants twice equalize against a Uruguay side that had taken the lead, in a result that underlined the competitive balance in the group featuring Spain and Saudi Arabia.
Qatar News Agency detailed how Cape Verde opened the scoring in the 21st minute through Kevin Pina, who curled in a direct free kick. Uruguay responded before halftime as Maximiliano Araújo leveled in the 44th minute and Agustín Cano put the South Americans ahead in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time. Helio Varela restored parity for Cape Verde in the 61st minute by capitalizing on a defensive mistake and a misjudged rush from Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. The match concluded without further goals, leaving the outcome as a valuable point for the African nation.
The Qatar News Agency report placed Cape Verde on two points from two draws after their opening goalless stalemate with Spain. Uruguay reached four points and sat level with Spain at the top of the group while Saudi Arabia occupied the bottom spot with one point. With one round of matches remaining the qualification picture in Group H stayed fluid.
A New York Times report citing Opta statistics noted that Cape Verde became the first debutant country to stay unbeaten in their first two World Cup matches since Senegal achieved the feat in 2002. The same data showed Cape Verde as the first debutants to score two or more goals in a World Cup game since Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2014. USA Today described the archipelago as the smallest nation in tournament history to claim a point at the World Cup.
Uruguay entered the contest as two-time champions from 1930 and 1950 and were expected to collect maximum points in their second group outing. BBC Sport indicated that the Uruguay squad under Marcelo Bielsa had dominated chances yet failed to convert their edge into a victory. The draw extended Uruguay’s unbeaten run in the group but left them needing a result in their final match to secure progression.
FIFA information confirms that the 2026 edition is the first to include 48 teams across 12 groups of four with the top two sides from each group advancing automatically along with the eight best third-placed teams. This format has created additional pathways for emerging teams such as Cape Verde to challenge established powers. The result in Miami ensured that all four Group H participants retained mathematical chances of reaching the knockout phase.
Hard Rock Stadium has served as a venue for multiple group-stage fixtures during the tournament in the United States. Cape Verde will now prepare for their concluding group game while Uruguay assesses its standing against the remaining schedule. The Qatar News Agency dispatch emphasized that the group remains wide open ahead of the decisive round.
