Nation With Smaller Population Than Birmingham on Brink of World Cup Spot

A nation that has less population than Birmingham is on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup.

In 2026, the World Cup will take place across the United States of America, Mexico and Canada.

The tournament will last more than a month, with the first match taking place on June 11 before the final is held on July 19.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, countries across the globe have been taking part in qualifying rounds in order to secure their place in football's most prestigious tournament.

So far, teams such as holders Argentina, five-time winners Brazil, Japan, Egypt and Ghana have all qualified.

Meanwhile, the likes of Spain, England, France and Germany are all poised to secure their place in next summer's big event.

On Monday, one of the smallest nations on planet earth has the chance to stamp its ticket for the 2026 World Cup.

The 2026 World Cup will take place across North America. Image: Getty

Cape Verde, ranked 70th in the world, has a population that is smaller than Birmingham's, but the island's football team is making huge moves on the big stage.

Having amassed 20 points from nine matches so far in Group D of the African qualifiers, Cape Verde will secure their place in the 2026 World Cup with a win over Eswatini at the Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde on Monday night.

Ahead of the crucial match, the government declared a half-day across the nation of around 525,000 to give everyone a chance to witness history.

Journalist Victor Hugo said to FIFA: "Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps, because it’ll be incredible.

"We celebrated 50 years of independence this year, so it’d be incredible to crown that milestone with such a great achievement – reaching the (FIFA) World Cup for the first time."

If all things go to plan, Cape Verde will join the likes of Jordan and Uzbekistan as debutants at the upcoming World Cup.

Nations that have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup:

Canada - Host

Mexico - Host

United States - Host

Japan

New Zealand

Iran

Argentina

Uzbekistan

South Korea

Jordan

Australia

Brazil

Ecuador

Uruguay

Colombia

Paraguay

Morocco

Tunisia

Egypt

Algeria

Ghana