Will São Tomé and Príncipe make the 2030 World Cup? Under 0.1%

São Tomé and Príncipe and the 2030 World Cup

Ranked 194th in the world, 51st in CAF. <0.1% to qualify in our simulations.

Updated 22 October 2026

194thFIFA ranking, of 211

51stof 54 in CAF

855rating points

10 / 14attack / defence, out of 100

<0.1%qualify (simulated)

Chances at the 2030 World Cup

São Tomé and Príncipe reach the World Cup in <0.1% of simulated campaigns — it happens, but it takes a run of results the model almost never produces. The single most likely outcome is not qualifying (>99.9% of cycles).

Qualify<0.1%

Round of 320%

Round of 160%

Quarter-finals0%

Semi-finals0%

Final0%

Champions0%

Share of 20,000 simulated cycles, from first qualifier to final, in which São Tomé and Príncipe got at least this far. How the simulation works · All 211 nations

The route to the finals

Africa's qualifying is played in eight groups: only the group winners qualify, and the four best runners-up play off for a place in the inter-confederation play-off. São Tomé and Príncipe come in at the group stage.

There are 8 places for the 53 nations that have to qualify, plus one route through the inter-confederation play-off, where five teams from five confederations contest two more places on neutral ground.

CAF qualifying in full: format, what is official and every nation's odds.

How strong are they?

São Tomé and Príncipe have 855.10 points in the FIFA ranking published on 7 October 2026, which places them 194th in the world and 51st of the 54 nations in Africa. The simulator uses that points total directly as the team's rating.

Their attack score is 10 and their defence score 14, on a scale of 1 to 100 built from the last 30 internationals. Attack and defence are closely matched, so the team's results follow its overall rating without leaning towards high- or low-scoring games.

What the match engine expects from São Tomé and Príncipe in three fixtures, over ninety minutes.
Opponent	Fixture	Expected goals	Win	Draw	Lose
Djibouti	At home to the next side in the CAF ranking	1.46 – 1.20	42%	29%	30%
Morocco	At home to CAF's highest-ranked side	0.22 – 2.81	1%	10%	89%
Spain	Against the top-ranked side from another confederation, on neutral ground	0.21 – 2.90	1%	9%	90%

Around them in CAF

São Tomé and Príncipe and the nations ranked around them in CAF.
In CAF	Nation	FIFA rank	Points	Qualifies	Champion
48	Mauritius	179	906	<0.1%	0%
49	Chad	181	897	<0.1%	0%
50	Eritrea	183	891	<0.1%	0%
51	São Tomé and Príncipe	194	855	<0.1%	0%
52	Djibouti	195	854	0%	0%
53	Somalia	200	832	<0.1%	0%
54	Seychelles	205	796	0%	0%

São Tomé and Príncipe at the World Cup

They have never played at a World Cup finals.

Play it out: take São Tomé and Príncipe through Africa's qualifying, or change their rating in the team editor and see what it takes.

Open the simulator