Cape Verde qualifies for the World Cup for the first time after beating Eswatini

PRAIA, Cape Verde (AP) — Cape Verde will play in the World Cup for the first time after beating Eswatini 3-0 to win its group in African qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Monday.

The archipelago of volcanic islands off the western coast of Africa secured one of the nine automatic spots for the continent. It will be the second smallest country by population to feature in the tournament after Iceland in 2018.

Dailon Livramento scored in the 48th minute, Willy Semedo in the 54th and Stopira in stoppage time to secure the home victory and first place in Group D. At the final whistle, fans chanted in the stands while players celebrated on the field.

“What a historic moment,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a video message. “Congratulations to everyone in Cape Verde for making the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Your flag will fly and your anthem will be heard at the greatest FIFA World Cup ever.

“Your work on football development in recent years has been incredible and this is a moment where your stars will become global and power a new generation of football lovers across Cape Verde.”

The Blue Sharks finished with four more points than Cameroon, which couldn't manage more than 0-0 against Angola at home.

Cape Verde, a nation of about 525,000 people, arrived needing a victory, and could have qualified even with a loss as long as Cameroon didn't defeat Angola.

The nine group winners automatically qualify for the World Cup. The four best runners-up play in a mini tournament of two semifinals and a final in November. Cameroon can still advance as a runner-up.

The repechage winner advances to FIFA’s playoff tournament against opponents from Asia, CONCACAF, South America and Oceania.

Tickets for the Cape Verde match were sold in record time, according to FIFA, and the government declared a half-day holiday across the country so people could watch the game.

The 2026 World Cup is the first with an expanded field of 48 teams, up from 32.

In the other Group D match, Mauritius and Libya drew 0-0.

In Group C, Lesotho defeated Zimbabwe 1-0 at home.

With its spot in the World Cup already secured, Tunisia closed its African qualifying run with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Namibia.

Ali Abdi converted a 28th-minute penalty kick and Hannibal Mejbri and Ferjani Sassi added second-half goals to secure Tunisia the best record in African qualifying.

Tunisia won Group H with 28 points from 10 matches, outscoring opponents 22-0. It dropped two points and finished 13 points ahead of second-placed Namibia.

Also in Group H, Equatorial Guinea drew with Liberia 1-1 at home, while last-placed Sao Tome and Principe beat Malawi 1-0 for its first win in the group — and first victory in the World Cup preliminaries in 10 years.

In Group B, South Sudan drew with visiting Togo 0-0.

On Sunday, 2010 quarterfinalist Ghana became the fifth African nation to qualify, joining Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco at next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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Two men celebrate after Cape Verde defeated Eswatini in a World Cup qualifying soccer match at Estádio Nacional in Praia, Cape Verde, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to clinch their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)

Cape Verde's Stopira, bottom, celebrates with his teammate after defeating Eswatini in a World Cup qualifying soccer match at Estádio Nacional in Praia, Cape Verde, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to clinch their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)

Fans celebrate in the stands after Cape Verde defeated Eswatini in a World Cup qualifying soccer match at Estádio Nacional in Praia, Cape Verde, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to clinch their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)

Fans celebrate in the stands after Cape Verde defeated Eswatini in a World Cup qualifying soccer match at Estádio Nacional in Praia, Cape Verde, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to clinch their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)

Cape Verde players stand for the national anthem during the World Cup 2026 African qualifier Group D soccer match between Libya and Cape Verde in Tripoli, Libya, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Yousef Murad)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar on Friday personally removed fencing around a historic building in the capital Budapest that served as the office of his autocratic predecessor Viktor Orbán.

Magyar announced that the famous Karmelita, located at Budapest's landmark Castle Hill, overlooking the Danube river, will be open for public until authorities decide on its future role.

The former Catholic monastery become a symbol of Orbán’s rule after he had it cordoned off in 2021.

“There is no place for cordons in Hungary after the change of regime,” Magyar told reporters as he symbolically pushed open the fences. He said the institutions had been built “from the money of the Hungarian taxpayers and made so beautiful with those funds.”

Magyar and his center-right Tisza party swept Orbán from power in an election in April, winning a two-thirds majority that gave him a clear mandate for major changes after his predecessor's 16 years in power.

Magyar has vowed to restore democratic institutions and governmental checks and balances that were heavily eroded during Orbán’s rule, and to clamp down on alleged corruption.

He has revealed the luxury renovations that former government members carried out on their offices. Magyar himself has said he would move his seat to the administrative part of the city on the other bank of the Danube.

The Karmelita building, he said, will now be accessible for an “extensive period.” Already, a website has been set up where visitors can book a tour. Magyar said some buildings in the castle zone have been renovated while other are under construction.

The situation “is likely to generate a number of new ideas,” he added without elaborating.

The prime minister has promised to repair his country’s ties with its European Union partners and restore Hungary’s place among Western democracies.

Magyar plans to form a National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, an authority tasked with investigating and seeking to recover public funds misused during Orbán’s tenure.

A construction sign prohibits entry to the former Karmelita Palace, which has previously housed the Prime Minister's Office, in the Castle District of Budapest, Hungary, Friday, May 15, 2026. (Robert Hegedus/MTI via AP)

Hungary's Prime Minister Peter Magyar, second left, flanked by Minister of Transport and Innovation David Vitezy, second right, Minister of Interior Gabor Posfai, right, and Government Spokeswoman Vanda Szondi, attend the public dismantling of the barricade surrounding the former Karmelita Palace, which has previously housed the Prime Minister's Office, in the Castle District of Budapest, Hungary, Friday, May 15, 2026. (Robert Hegedus/MTI via AP)

From left, Hungary's Prime Minister Peter Magyar, Minister of Transport and Innovation David Vitezy and Minister of Interior Gabor Posfai begin to dismantle the barricade surrounding the former Karmelita Palace, which has previously housed the Prime Minister's Office, in the Castle District of Budapest, Hungary, Friday, May 15, 2026. (Robert Hegedus/MTI via AP)