Morning Sports Update

The "Blue Sharks" earned a hard-fought draw against Uruguay, and could make it to the knockout round.

By Hayden Bird

June 22, 2026 | 11:39 AM

3 minutes to read

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Local Cape Verde fans drew international attention: Despite the pre-tournament concerns, Boston has been a hub of 2026 World Cup fandom so far. Between the Haitians, the Norwegians, and of course the Scots (among other fanbases that have seen their teams play locally), the atmosphere has been strong.

And while Cape Verde isn’t set to play at games at “Boston Stadium” (Gillette Stadium), its national team still has an enormous local fanbase that — befitting its “Blue Sharks” nickname — has been making waves.

With comparatively large local Cape Verde populations in Boston and Brockton, the fan watch parties (and Boston’s FIFA Fan Fest) drew international media coverage as the team battled it out against Uruguay in its second World Cup group stage match on Sunday.

When Cape Verde scored in the 21st minute to not only take a surprise lead (but also notch its first ever World Cup goal), local fans went wild:

The Dorchester watch party was also visited by BBC’s “Match of the Day” program:

Brockton, unofficially known for being the “11th island of Cape Verde” became a party scene.

Back in Cape Verde itself, a luckily-timed BBC broadcast caught the goal being scored live on air:

The game ended in a 2-2 draw with Uruguay. Having also achieved a near-miraculous 0-0 draw against Spain in its opener, Cape Verde are potentially on track to qualify for the knockout round.

The Blue Sharks face Saudi Arabia in the final group stage game on Friday, June 26 at 8 p.m.

Trivia: Cape Verde are one of the smallest nations to ever qualify for a World Cup. Prior to the 2026 tournament, what nation held the record for smallest to ever qualify?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: Also an island nation.

Scores and schedules:

The Red Sox lost 3-1 to the Mariners on Sunday. Boston will begin a three-game series against the Rockies tonight in Colorado at 8:40 p.m.

Today in the World Cup:

• Argentina vs. Austria at 1 p.m.
• France vs. Iraq at 5 p.m.
• Norway vs. Senegal at 8 p.m.
• Jordan vs. Algeria at 11 p.m.

More from Boston.com:

• Red Sox can’t complete series sweep, fall to Mariners 3-1
• Will Scotland play a third World Cup match at Boston Stadium? The odds are looking good.
• Scotland fans thank Boston as they head to Miami for their next World Cup stop
• Even Alexi Lalas’s Fox teammates for the World Cup have grown tired of the former USMNT player’s studio act.
• As Red Sox keep struggling, several former players are thriving across baseball
• Bruins are reportedly listening to trade offers for Pavel Zacha
• Celtics reportedly targeting Trey Murphy III as backup option amid Giannis trade pursuit
• Photos: The best World Cup scenes from Scotland vs. Morocco at ‘Boston Stadium’

A Giannis trade could be incoming: Per NBA insider Shams Charania, Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to be traded by the Bucks before the start of the NBA Draft on Tuesday evening.

On this day: In 1994, the U.S. men’s national team achieved its first major win of the modern era on the world’s stage. Facing Colombia, seen as one of the potential dark horses of the tournament, the U.S. pulled off a stunning 2-1 win to help ensure passage to the knockout round.

The win, though an enduring moment for the U.S. program, was later marred by the murder of Colombian defender Andres Escobar, the defender whose own goal proved decisive. The details of Escobar’s life and death were later the subject of an ESPN “30 For 30” documentary.

Daily highlight: Possibly the save of the tournament was delivered by Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand in the 0-0 draw with Belgium in the World Cup on Sunday.

Trivia answer: Iceland