Cape Verde national team goalkeeper Vozinha greets fans as he arrives with his team at Cidade da Praia Airport after leaving the FIFA World Cup 2026 on July 5, 2026. Photo: VCG

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Tuesday dismissed online claims that it had turned down an invitation from the Cape Verde Football Federation (FCF) for an international friendly, saying no formal match proposal has been received from the latter.

According to a statement issued by the CFA, the Chinese Embassy in Cape Verde made preliminary contact with the CFA on June 23, conveying the FCF's initial interest in organizing an international friendly in China.

However, as of 5pm July 7, Beijing time, the CFA had not received any formal written proposal or subsequent communication from the FCF regarding the friendly match, said the CFA statement.

"As such, there has been no situation in which the CFA received a match invitation and declined it," the CFA statement reads.

The CFA noted that the Chinese national football team is currently preparing for the 2027 Asian Cup, with its friendly match schedule arranged around the team's preparations for the continental tournament.

It also said that it remains committed to an open approach to international football exchanges and is willing to explore cooperation with the FCF and other national and regional football associations.

Speculations surrounding a possible China-Cape Verde friendly emerged after Cape Verde's historic World Cup campaign attracted growing attention among Chinese football fans, turning the small island country into an unlikely football sensation in China.

The team's spirited performances drew widespread praise from Chinese netizens, while veteran goalkeeper Vozinha became a fan favorite after his heroic displays on the world stage.

The 40-year-old keeper's standout performance against Spain, where he made seven saves to secure a goalless draw, drew global attention and made him one of the tournament's most talked-about figures.

The CFA also traced how the rumor evolved online. It said reports about a potential China-Cape Verde friendly originated from a June 25 interview with Paulo Santos, an FCF vice president.

In the interview, the official reportedly said that the federation would be "very happy to accept" a formal invitation from China, adding that not only the senior men's team but also the women's team and youth squads at U17, U19 and U23 levels would be available to travel if invited.

According to the CFA, media reports on June 27 paraphrased the remarks as the FCF "planning to arrange a friendly with China."

By June 29, some reports further evolved into claims that the federation had "officially announced" the senior men's team would travel to China after the FIFA World Cup to face the Chinese national team.

The CFA said that in early July, the narrative further escalated on social media into claims that "Cape Verde invited China for a friendly but was rejected."

Cape Verde qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time after topping its African qualifying group, becoming one of the tournament's smallest-ever participating nations by both population and land area.