Bubista set for RS Berkane move after Cape Verde’s landmark World Cup campaign

Bubista is set to leave his role as Cape Verde manager and take charge of Moroccan club RS Berkane after leading the Blue Sharks to their first-ever appearance at the 2026 World Cup.

The 56-year-old has signed a contract with RS Berkane that runs until 2028, with the club confirming his appointment in a video published on its social media channels. He replaces Mouine Chaabani, who left the club a few days ago to become manager of the Tunisia national team.

Bubista became the central figure in the most significant chapter of Cape Verde’s football history by guiding the national side to the World Cup for the first time. The Blue Sharks went on to reach the last 16, where they were narrowly beaten 3-2 after extra time by Argentina.

Argentina entered that match as the reigning world champions and later went on to reach the final, meaning Cape Verde’s elimination came against one of the tournament’s strongest sides. Despite the defeat, the campaign established Bubista as one of the competition’s notable coaching figures.

Berkane role ends uncertainty over dual appointment

According to L’Equipe, negotiations between Bubista and RS Berkane took longer than expected because the possibility of him combining the club position with his responsibilities as Cape Verde manager had been considered.

That arrangement now appears unlikely. Bubista is expected to leave the Blue Sharks, the Reds and Whites, shortly, bringing an end to a six-year spell in charge of the national team.

His appointment gives RS Berkane a coach who has just overseen a historic international campaign, but his immediate challenge will be domestic and continental. The Moroccan club wants to reclaim the league title after the Orange secured a historic championship last year.

Bubista will also be expected to move RS Berkane forward in the CAF Champions League, where the club is seeking to improve on its previous campaign.

RS Berkane finished as runners-up in Morocco before being knocked off the domestic summit by MAS Fes this season. A few months earlier, the club had fallen just short of the CAF Champions League final during its first campaign in the competition.

Their run ended in the semi-finals against AS FAR Rabat, who won the first leg 2-0 before RS Berkane recorded a 1-0 victory in the return match. The result left the Moroccan side unable to reach the final, despite their efforts to overturn the deficit.

Bubista’s move therefore represents a new stage in a coaching career that has recently reached its highest point with Cape Verde. At RS Berkane, he will be tasked with restoring the club to the top of the Moroccan league and helping it make a deeper impact in African competition, while preparing to depart the national team after six years of service.