Basketball World Cup: Cape Verde become smallest nation to qualify for tournament
- Published
Despite an 80-67 loss to Angola, Cape Verde have qualified for their first Basketball World Cup
Cape Verde have made history by becoming the smallest country ever to qualify for the Fiba Basketball World Cup.
With a population of just over 500,000, the Atlantic island nation beat the record previously held by Montenegro, who qualified in 2019.
An impressive 79-64 victory over Ivory Coast sealed the Blue Sharks' spot at the tournament which will be co-hosted by Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines from 25 August to 10 September and will see five African teams compete.
On Friday, South Sudan also made history, qualifying at the first attempt just three years after the team took part in their debut international competition.
Angola and Egypt booked their places at the World Cup in qualifiers held in Cairo, while Ivory Coast were the first African nation to qualify back in August.