Cape Verde Stages One of Biggest-Ever Upsets in World Cup History, Egypt Follows Its Example

The 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered two major surprises on Day 5 as Cape Verde earned a historic draw against Spain, while Egypt claimed a valuable point against Belgium. The results left both Group H and Group G wide open and underlined the growing competitiveness of the expanded tournament.

Image: Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha makes one of his numerous saves vs Spain (screenshot youtube.com/@fifa)

Neither Spain nor Belgium managed to secure the victories many expected, with disciplined defensive displays from their opponents proving enough to earn important results.

Cape Verde Makes History Against Spain

Cape Verde produced one of the biggest stories of the tournament so far by holding Spain to a goalless draw in Group H. The World Cup debutant entered the match as a clear underdog but showed remarkable resilience against one of football’s traditional powerhouses.

This is considered one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history for several reasons, but mostly because it pitted an African debutant nation with a population of just 500,000 and a world ranking of 67th against a second-ranked European powerhouse and No. 1 tournament favorite in a staggering mismatch. The disparity in odds on World Cup betting sites was huge; Spain was fewer than 1.10, while Cape Verde was 35.00+.

The reigning European champion dominated possession throughout the contest and created numerous opportunities, yet it couldn’t find a way past Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha. The 40-year-old veteran shot-stopper delivered an outstanding performance, making several crucial saves to deny Spain’s attack.

Even the introduction of attacking talents from the bench, such as superstar Lamine Yamal, failed to change the outcome. Cape Verde remained compact defensively and celebrated the first World Cup point in the nation’s history when the final whistle sounded.

The result gives the African side genuine hope of challenging for a place in the knockout rounds, while increasing the pressure on “La Roja” heading into its remaining group-stage fixtures.

Egypt Earns Valuable Point Against Belgium

Later in the day, Egypt followed Cape Verde’s example by securing a 1-1 draw against Belgium in Seattle.

Egypt arrived at the tournament with ambitions of advancing from Group G and demonstrated why they shouldn’t be underestimated. Led by star forwards Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, “The Pharaohs” matched Belgium for long periods and capitalized on their chances (Emam Ashour 19’).

Belgium, featuring experienced names such as Kevin De Bruyne, had been widely viewed as the favorite to top the group. However, Egypt’s organization and defensive discipline prevented them from taking full control of the match.

The Belgian side was also without a fully fit Romelu Lukaku in the starting lineup, with the striker beginning the game on the bench after an injury-affected campaign. Even though he didn’t score the equalizer, his pressure on the rival’s defense 22 seconds after entering the pitch forced Mohamed Hany to score his own goal.

Race for Knockout Stage Intensifies

With Spain and Belgium both dropping points, the standings in Groups H and G have become far more intriguing than many anticipated.

Cape Verde and Egypt have shown they belong on football’s biggest stage, while the traditional favorites now face greater pressure in their upcoming matches. As the tournament moves deeper into the group stage, Monday’s results may prove to be among the most significant surprises of the opening week.