Uruguay vs Cape Verde | FIFA World Cup 2026 — Group Stage | Preview and Predictions

South American giants Uruguay will face World Cup debutants Cape Verde in their second group stage game in Group H, to be played on 22nd June at the Miami Stadium in Miami. 

For the game, here we present our preview and prediction.

FIFA WC26 | Group H: URU vs CPV | 03:30 IST, June 22, 2026

Uruguay didn’t really start their World Cup campaign well, only earning a point against a relatively weaker opposition in Saudi Arabia. The Uruguayans went behind in the first half with Abdulelah Al Amri giving the Saudis a surprise lead. La Celeste reacted well to the setback and upped the ante in the second half but found it difficult to breach a solid Saudi defence. However, their persistence paid off in the 80th minute when Maxi Araujo fired the ball in at the near post. Although Uruguay attacked a lot in both halves, they couldn’t score except for the equaliser. Their forwards need to find their finishing touch and be more clinical up front. 

As for their opponents, Cape Verde who are appearing in the World Cup for the first-time ever, produced a dogged display against one of the strongest teams in the tournament. Their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha produced a Man-of-the-Match performance and kept the Spanish attack at bay, making seven big saves. Their stalemate with Spain means this group is wide open for all four teams. Although Spain had the majority of possession and created several big chances, they couldn’t break down the stoic Cape Verde defence, leading to a sharing of the spoils. 

If Uruguay want to make it through to the next round, this is a must-win game for them. Their key players Darwin Nunez, Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur need to make an impact in the attacking third to breach the Cape Verde defence. They do have two injuries already with Ronald Araujo out for a few weeks and Giorgian De Arrascaeta who is out long-term with a broken collarbone. Cape Verde too have some decent players of their own in Dailon Livramento, captain Ryan Mendes and goalkeeper Vozinha that can help their team in getting something out of the game. 

On paper, Uruguay is definitely the stronger side and are the favourites for this game. Cape Verde could hit them on the counter but the Uruguay midfield trio could control the outcome of the game. We believe the South Americans will secure a comfortable win and the all-important three points. 

Score Prediction: Uruguay 2-0 Cape Verde 

Venue: Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, USA