After a week as the tournament’s leading feel-good story, Cape Verde are back in action on Sunday against a Uruguay team eyeing an uptick in form.
La Celeste needed a late equalizer to salvage a point from their opening Group H fixture, but my Uruguay vs. Cape Verde predictions and World Cup odds bet on a sharper effort from Marcelo Bielsa’s men here, with the front line coming alive to deny another underdog surprise.
Get the lowdown on this June 21 clash with my free World Cup picks and betting tips.
TOP PICK
Who will win Uruguay vs Cape Verde: Uruguay -1.5 (+146)
Uruguay were slow out of the blocks in Monday’s 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia, but the numbers paint a more positive picture. La Celeste had a 1.72 to 0.66 xG edge that night while racking up 67% of the possession.
Pencil in the Uruguayans for a similar share of the ball against a defensive-minded Cape Verde squad, and I expect Bielsa to prioritize better service from midfield. That starts with Federico Valverde getting into more advanced positions and hitting the mark at set pieces, which should be another strength for Uruguay on Sunday.
Without question, this is a very different test to the one posed by Spain’s technical skill, and I like the plus odds for this prop as Cape Verde look overmatched against Uruguay’s physicality. It’s a pick that feels playable up to +120.
Vozinha’s heroics against Spain deserved the headlines, but it’s a high-wire act for Cape Verde with so little threat at the other end of the pitch. They only registered one shot on target in that opening contest, and the game script goes out of the window in a hurry if Uruguay take an early lead.
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Uruguay vs Cape Verde Over/Under pick: Over 2.5 goals (+134)
Watch for Uruguay to find their rhythm faster this weekend, making amends for a poor first half against Saudi Arabia. Whether Bielsa sticks with Darwin Nunez in the central striker role or explores other options, I see La Celeste succeeding where Spain failed at the start of the week.
There were enough encouraging signs in the Uruguayans’ livelier second half effort on Monday to suggest that they’ll be bringing their shooting boots here, and they could likely sacrifice some midfield grit to juice up the attack if Cape Verde’s compact defensive structure is holding firm.
This prop feels like great value – and an overreaction to the first round of results in Group H. It’s hard to trust Cape Verde to do much of the heavy lifting for this Over after such a limited attacking threat in their opening contest, but a talented Uruguay lineup can do this level of damage on its own, especially with decent forward depth on the bench.
If the Uruguayans can repeat their double-digit attempts on target from their first outing, this Over will stay in play, and it’s an ideal opportunity to banish memories of some prior low-scoring World Cup displays.
Uruguay vs Cape Verde projected lineup
Uruguay (4-2-3-1): Muslera; Varela, Caceres, Olivera, Sanabria; Bentancur, Ugarte; Valverde, Canobbio, Araujo; Nunez
Cape Verde (4-5-1): Vozinha; Moreira, Borges, Lopes, S Cabral; Duarte, Pina, Monteiro, Mendes, J Cabral; Livramento
Uruguay vs Cape Verde injuries
Uruguay: Ronald Araujo CB (Doubtful).
Cape Verde: None.
Uruguay vs Cape Verde weather
A warm night in Miami could include some light rain, despite temperatures in the mid 80's.
Uruguay vs Cape Verde odds
| Uruguay | Cape Verde | |
|---|---|---|
| -203 | Moneyline | +809 |
| +335 | Draw | +335 |
| Over 2.5 (+138) | Total | Under 2.5 (-144) |
Odds courtesy of Kalshi.
How to watch Uruguay vs Cape Verde
Check out FIFA's official 2026 World Cup website for more information.
| Location | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida |
| Date | Sunday, June 21, 2026 |
| Time | 6 p.m. ET |
| TV | FS1 |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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