Cape Verde FA hits back at Cameroon over training ground row ahead of World Cup qualifier today

The statement, signed by FCF Secretary General, says reports of a “sabotaged” training session and deliberate delays at the airport are “false and unfounded.” According to the FCF, Cameroon’s 78-member delegation was processed at border control “in less than an hour,” with 44 visas pre-arranged by the host federation “to facilitate their entry.”

On the controversial Estadio da Várzea incident, the FCF insists Cameroon’s players invaded the pitch while a veterans’ tournament match was still being played. “Despite regulations permitting only two sessions, the stadium was made available for an extra training slot at Cameroon’s request,” the communiqué reads. “It was Cameroon who disrupted an ongoing game and later refused to train, showing bad faith and an intent to create an incident.”

FCF further stressed that at the official pre-match technical meeting, Cameroon’s representatives “made no complaint or protest” to the match commissioner, undermining their media claims. The federation described the accusations as “an attempt to fabricate controversy where none exists.”

Sunday evening, Cameroon’s team press officer Thierry Ndoh had told media outlets that the Lions Indomptables were denied their session at Varzea and forced to train indoors. That narrative now clashes with Cape Verde’s official rebuttal, escalating tensions ahead of Tuesday’s decisive Group D clash in Praia.

Latest update: Les Lions Indomptables face Cape Verde this Tuesday at 17h (local time) at the Estadio Nacional, in the 8th round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 African qualifiers. With the group still wide open, this game is considered a make-or-break encounter for both sides. MATCH CRUCIAL!

The match between Cape Verde and Cameroon will decide leadership of the group, with both teams battling for a direct ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2026.