ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies are excited to confirm that Cabo Verde has selected the Rowdies training facility, Waters Sportsplex, as the country’s home base camp during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Known as the Blue Sharks, Cabo Verde’s national team will call the Rowdies facility in Tampa home as they compete in their first-ever World Cup tournament.
“It is an absolute privilege for the Rowdies to host Cabo Verde as they make their historic World Cup debut,” said Rowdies President Ryan Helfrick. “Over the past several seasons, we have invested in transforming our facility into the premier training environment in the USL Championship and one of the best throughout the entire country. Tremendous credit goes to our operations and grounds crew for all their hard work to make this selection a possibility. Hosting Cabo Verde is an incredible opportunity to showcase our club and our community on an international stage as part of the world’s largest sporting event.”
Cabo Verde clinched one of the 48 spots in this year’s World Cup by finishing as the top team in Group D of CAF World Cup Qualifying. The country is comprised of a group of islands off the coast of West Africa, with a total population of just under half a million. Bubista, a former defender for Cabo Verde at the international level, leads the country as head coach for their first trip to the World Cup. Cabo Verde’s squad for the tournament includes the country’s all-time leader in goals and appearances, attacker Ryan Mendes.
The Rowdies have a past connection to Cabo Verde. One of the most potent strikers of the Rowdies Modern Era, Steevan Dos Santos, hails from Cabo Verde. Dos Santos netted 19 goals in two seasons with Tampa Bay, including the winning goal to seal the 2021 Eastern Conference title.
Each team participating in this summer’s World Cup selected a Team Base Camp Training Site where the team’s delegation will be headquartered to prepare for matches, including practice sessions, player workouts, team meetings and all staff operations.
The Rowdies took over as the primary tenants of the Waters Sportsplex facility in 2022. The facility, which features two natural grass fields and one FIFA-approved artificial turf field, serves as the full-time training site for the Rowdies senior team and the club’s development team, Tampa Bay Rowdies 2. The Rowdies have welcomed top-tier clubs from around the world to the facility since moving into the facility. Last year, the Rowdies hosted SL Benfica as the Portuguese giant competed in the FIFA Club World Cup and the United States Men’s National Team ahead of its international friendly against Uruguay at Raymond James Stadium in November.
Cabo Verde has been drawn into Group H of this year’s World Cup. The country will compete against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudia Arabia for a chance to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.
Cabo Verde’s World Cup Schedule
- June 15: Cabo Verde vs. Spain at Atlanta Stadium (12 p.m. ET)
- June 21: Cabo Verde vs. Uruguay at Miami Stadium (6 p.m. ET)
- June 26: Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia at Houston Stadium (8 p.m. ET)
