Cape Verde, an African island nation with a population of only 546,000, fought to a resilient 0-0 draw in its first-ever World Cup match on June 16 against Spain, the 2010 champion and one of this year's tournament favorites, pulling off a massive upset.

The Cape Verde National Stadium, the home ground where this World Cup newcomer secured its ticket to the tournament, is a landmark Belt and Road foreign-aid project constructed and maintained by Top International Engineering Co (TIEC), a subsidiary of Shaanxi Huashan Construction Group Co based in Xi'an.

An aerial view of Cape Verde National Stadium. [Photo provided to Xi'an news network]

Cape Verde had long lacked professional competition venues. The national team had to rent makeshift pitches or travel overseas for daily training and international matches, making its World Cup dream seem unattainable for a long time.

In 2010, TIEC relocated to a wasteland in the northern suburbs of Praia, the country's capital, and began construction of the stadium with grant-based foreign aid from the Chinese government. The project was completed in 2013 and put into operation in 2014.

As the first modern multi-purpose stadium to meet FIFA international competition standards since Cape Verde gained independence, the venue has become the home stadium of the national team.

The stadium is now the home ground of Cape Verde's national team. [Photo provided to Xi'an news network]

Covering a total area of 94,000 square meters, it has a seating capacity of 15,000. Its hardware and software facilities, including the pitch, professional floodlights, and match-broadcast support systems, meet top-tier standards in West Africa, earning it FIFA certification as one of Africa's premier stadiums.

In October 2025, Cape Verde defeated Eswatini 3-0 at the stadium, qualifying for the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time in its history.

The stadium now hosts more than 30 top-tier domestic football matches annually, offering consistent support for the country's youth football development and the continued growth of its league system.