As Spain and Cape Verde share the stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, many fans have noticed an unusual detail. Instead of the expected “CV”, the organization identifies the African nation with the abbreviation “CPV”.
The explanation goes back to the country’s official designation within international sports. FIFA recognizes the nation as Cabo Verde, the Portuguese-language name adopted by the government in 2013.
The three-letter code stems from that designation and has long appeared in FIFA competitions, CAF tournaments and other global sporting events. Now, it has become the symbol of one of the World Cup’s most remarkable stories.
What does CPV stand for in international soccer?
CPV stands for Cabo Verde. Although many English-speaking fans know the nation as Cape Verde, FIFA identifies the African side by its Portuguese name, which is why the abbreviation appears on scoreboards.
Joao Paulo Fernandes, Marcio Rosa of Cape Verde and Kevin Pina of Cape Verde during the FIFA Series match (Source: Phil Walter/Getty Images)
FIFA’s own member association directory lists the federation as the Cabo Verdean Football Association under the code CPV, confirming that the designation is not unique to the 2026 World Cup. The same abbreviation has been used in World Cup qualifiers, FIFA rankings and CAF competitions for years.
Do other World Cup teams use abbreviations different from their English names?
Yes! Several World Cup teams use FIFA abbreviations that differ from their English names. CPV may have surprised viewers, but it is far from the only example at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA assigns unique three-letter codes to each of its member associations, and many are influenced by local languages, historical conventions or official state names rather than English spellings.
Some of the most notable examples include:
- CIV — Ivory Coast, derived from the French name Cote d’Ivoire.
- MAR — Morocco, based on the French spelling Maroc.
- SUI — Switzerland, a long-standing international abbreviation linked to the country’s multilingual identity.
- KSA — Saudi Arabia, short for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- RSA — South Africa, representing the Republic of South Africa.
- BIH — Bosnia and Herzegovina, reflecting the country’s local name.
- COD — DR Congo, distinguishing it from neighboring Congo.
- CUW — Curacao, following FIFA’s official designation.
Other abbreviations align more closely with what American audiences expect. The United States uses USA, Brazil appears as BRA, Argentina as ARG, Mexico as MEX and Spain as ESP. The variety of codes is one of the quirks of international soccer.
