WORLD CUP GUIDE / Cape Verde Quick Guide
🇨🇻 What is Cape Verde?
A 30-second guide to the island nation making its World Cup debut.
Figures are approximate guide values and are not official real-time statistics.
Basic Information
Comparison with Japan
Population
Japan is about 200 times larger by population.
Compared with Sapporo
Cape Verde is roughly one-third of Sapporo by population.
Area
Hokkaido is about 20 times larger by area.
Time difference
Cape Verde is about 10 hours behind Japan.
World Cup Information
- Attracting attention for its first World Cup appearance in 2026
- Group H
- Opponents: Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay
- Opening match: Spain vs Cape Verde
- Opening result: 0-0 draw
- Next match: Uruguay vs Cape Verde
- Match times may change, so please also check official information.
Where Is Cape Verde?
- An island country in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa
- West of Senegal and southwest of Morocco
- A country made up of multiple islands
3-Question Quiz
View Cape Verde Time from Japan Time
Approximate calculation. Daylight saving time is not considered.
Learn More About Cape Verde
What is Cape Verde?
Cape Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa. Its capital is Praia, and it is often introduced in both English as Cabo Verde and Cape Verde. With a population of about 600,000 and an area of about 4,033 km², it is small compared with Japan or Hokkaido, but it is widely associated with islands, music, tourism, and football. Its first World Cup appearance in 2026 has made many people ask where Cape Verde is and what kind of country it is.
How does it compare with Japan?
Cape Verde is much smaller than Japan in both population and land area. Japan has about 124 million people, while Cape Verde has about 600,000, so Japan is roughly 200 times larger by population. Even compared with Sapporo, a single Japanese city, Cape Verde is around one-third as large by population. Hokkaido is about 83,424 km², roughly 20 times Cape Verde’s land area. These comparisons are approximate, but they make the scale easier to picture.
Why is Cape Verde attracting World Cup attention?
Cape Verde is drawing attention because the 2026 tournament is treated here as its first World Cup appearance. In Group H, it is listed with Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. This page keeps the World Cup section as static, manually updated information rather than a live news feed. The opening match is shown as Spain vs Cape Verde with a 0-0 draw, and the next match is listed as Uruguay vs Cape Verde. Always check official sources for match times and changes.
Things to know before watching Cape Verde
Cape Verde is about 10 hours behind Japan, so a Japan evening time often corresponds to late morning in Cape Verde. Portuguese is the official language, and the currency is the Cape Verdean escudo. The country consists of multiple Atlantic islands, so geography, travel, and culture are closely tied to the sea. Knowing these basics helps you follow football coverage while also understanding the country beyond the scoreline.
FAQ
Are Cabo Verde and Cape Verde the same country?
Yes. They refer to the same country. Cabo Verde is the official country name, while Cape Verde is also commonly used in English.
Where is Cape Verde located?
It is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa.
What is the capital of Cape Verde?
The capital is Praia.
What is the population of Cape Verde?
It is about 600,000. This page shows it as an approximate guide value.
What is the official language of Cape Verde?
The official language is Portuguese.
Is Cape Verde making its World Cup debut?
This page presents the 2026 tournament as Cape Verde’s first World Cup appearance.
What is the time difference from Japan?
Cape Verde is about 10 hours behind Japan.