Four nations are living out a lifelong dream at the 2026 World Cup: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan are all making their first-ever appearance at the tournament, made possible in part by the expansion to 48 teams. With most of the group stage now in the books, here’s an honest look at how each debutant has actually performed — and what they still need to do to keep their World Cup dream alive.
Cape Verde: The Surprise Package
Result so far: Drew 0-0 with Spain
Of the four debutants, Cape Verde — nicknamed the Blue Sharks — has produced the standout moment. Holding one of the tournament favorites to a scoreless draw in their opening match was nothing short of remarkable for a nation of roughly 600,000 people making its tournament debut. Cape Verde’s qualification campaign was already a statement in itself, finishing with seven wins, two draws, and just one defeat across their qualifiers, with forward Dailon Livramento emerging as their attacking spark.
What’s next: Cape Verde face Uruguay on June 21, before closing the group against Saudi Arabia on June 26. A positive result against Uruguay would put them in a genuinely strong position to reach the Round of 32 — a remarkable achievement for a debutant nation.
Curaçao: A Tough Welcome
Result so far: Lost 7-1 to Germany
Curaçao’s debut didn’t go the way the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for a World Cup would have hoped, suffering a heavy defeat to Germany in their opening match. Still, simply reaching the tournament was already historic: managed by experienced Dutch coach Dick Advocaat and built around a core of Dutch-born players with family ties to the island, Curaçao went through their qualifying campaign unbeaten before that emphatic loss.
What’s next: Curaçao will need a response in their remaining group matches to have any realistic shot at advancing, but even without progressing further, their qualification alone has already rewritten the record books.
Jordan: A Difficult Start, But Genuine Belief
Result so far: Lost 3-1 to Austria
Jordan’s first-ever World Cup match ended in defeat to Austria, but the team — known as the Chivalrous Ones — arrives with real attacking quality in Mousa Al-Tamari, Yazan Al-Naimat, and Ali Olwan, one of the more dangerous front lines among this year’s debutants. Jordan’s qualification campaign was built on resilience, recovering from a difficult start to navigate a tough group.
What’s next: Jordan face Algeria on June 22 before a tough final test against Argentina on June 27. Beating Algeria is close to essential if they want any realistic chance of finishing third in the group with enough points to be among the best third-placed teams.
Uzbekistan: Making History Just by Being Here
Result so far: Lost 3-1 to Colombia
As the first Central Asian nation ever to qualify for a World Cup, Uzbekistan’s achievement carries significance well beyond the result on the pitch. Managed by World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro and led by players like Abdukodir Khusanov and Eldor Shomurodov, the team opened with a loss to Colombia but enters the tournament off the back of a major youth-development push — including Under-17 and Under-20 Asian Cup titles in recent years.
What’s next: Uzbekistan face Portugal on June 23 and DR Congo on June 27. Realistically, their best chance of extending the tournament likely depends on picking up points against DR Congo.
The Bigger Picture: Why These Debuts Matter
None of these four nations needs to reach the knockout stage to make history — they’ve already done that simply by qualifying. But Cape Verde’s result against Spain shows that debutants can do more than just participate; they can genuinely compete. With the expanded 48-team format opening the door for more nations like these, this World Cup may be remembered as the moment the tournament truly became global, rather than just a contest between the usual heavyweights.
The Bottom Line
Halfway through the group stage, Cape Verde has been the standout story among the four newcomers, while Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan all face uphill battles after tough opening results. Whatever happens in their remaining matches, all four nations have already secured a permanent place in their country’s sporting history — and given how tight the race for the eight best third-place spots usually is, there’s still time for one more surprise before the group stage wraps up.