At the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, Cape Verde defied global predictions and emerged as the biggest Cinderella story. In China, some are saying it was "the result of China's long-standing support."
The West African island nation of Cape Verde reached the World Cup finals for the first time. Ranked No. 64 by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and seen as likely to exit in the group stage, it recorded three draws, including stalemates against powerhouses Spain and Uruguay, and pulled off a miracle by finishing second in the group to reach the round of 32.
In the round of 32, it showed gritty resilience by pulling level twice against title favorite Argentina. After an extra-time battle, it narrowly lost 3-2, but Cape Verde's performance drew praise from soccer fans around the world.
China has analyzed that its years of support underpinned Cape Verde's surge. On the 6th, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, "Even though China's own national team failed to reach the World Cup finals, it showed great interest in the success of Cape Verde, which has a population of only about 500,000," adding, "That's because China has long been involved in the country's economic development."
According to the SCMP, the soccer boots worn by goalkeeper Vozinha, who rose to stardom with dazzling saves at this tournament, were made by Xufeng Sports, a sports goods company in Putian, Fujian province, China. Putian is one of China's largest production hubs for athletic footwear. Fujian TV said the brand was flooded with inquiries from fans hoping to buy the boots right after the match.
The training ground used by the national team was also built with Chinese support. The team's daily training and its historic World Cup qualifiers were held at the National Stadium in the capital, Praia. The 15,000-seat venue was built with support from the Chinese government and was completed in 2014.
The previous day, Global Times, China's state-run English-language outlet, highlighted Cape Verde and said, "The Cape Verde National Stadium is one of the best-equipped stadiums in West Africa," adding, "Chinese corporations have taken part in building stadiums across Africa for decades, contributing to the development of soccer in many countries."
According to the Beijing Daily, Arlindo do Rosário, Cape Verde's ambassador to China, said, "China's support has played a decisive role in the development of sports in Cape Verde." China News Service reported that the Cape Verde national team, as it left the United States after finishing its World Cup schedule on July 4 local time, said, "We thank all the Chinese people who cheered for us. We appreciate the love from the Chinese community."
China and Cape Verde established diplomatic ties in 1976, right after the island nation gained independence from Portugal. After signing a Belt and Road Initiative memorandum of understanding in 2018, the two sides have steadily expanded cooperation. Beyond the National Stadium, China has taken part in funding and building major infrastructure including the Poilão Dam, the new campus of the University of Cape Verde, and government office buildings.
On top of Vozinha's heroics, interest in Cape Verde inside China has grown as a story went viral on Chinese social media (SNS) about Lin Jie, a businessperson from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, helping Vozinha's mother obtain a U.S. visa.
According to Chinese outlet Jiemian News, searches related to Cape Verde on Tongcheng Travel, a Chinese travel platform, surged more than 200% in the 24 hours after the match on the 4th. Trip.com, one of China's largest travel agencies, also said that as of late June, searches for Cape Verde were up 388% from the same period last year and 852% from the previous month.