Weekly Roundup | 01/05/2026
A weekly roundup of all things football in Cabo Verde
You can listen along with our Roundup Mixtape here. We’ve switched over to Buy Music Club (still Bandcamp music but a bit easier for making playlists).
National
Mário Semedo changes mind, decides to run for FCF president again
Last week we mentioned that Álvaro Eliseu Cardoso announced his candidacy for Cabo Verdean Football Federation (FCF) president. This was after current president, Mário Semedo, announced he was not seeking another term. Well, things have changed and now Semedo plans to run again. This means we have an actual election but also that regional federations need to determine which candidate they’ll support.
The association of Fogo (ARFF) has called an emergency meeting of club leaders to discuss the issue. Semedo has vastly improved Cabo Verdes profile on the national scale, seeing the men’s national team qualify for this summer’s World Cup and the women’s qualify for WAFCON in the spring. There have also been investments by FIFA into the regional areas of Cabo Verde but this might be where the regional associations pause. Infrastructure, funding, and organization could all be improved for the regional leagues.
It is worth pointing out that the men’s national team is constructed from players of the Cabo Verdean diaspora which doesn’t necessarily improve the level of domestic football, a difference from the women’s team which consists of those who play their club football in Cabo Verde.
Boa Vista
Campeonato Regional Week 4
We pick up in 2026 right where we left off in 2025 with África Show remaining perfect through 4 games. Braces from Djerry (Sal-Rei) and Guma (Sporting) leave them joint top of the Golden Boot along with Pápa (África Show) who failed to add to his tally this week.
Brava
Morabeza alone at the top
Their win over Académica, coupled with Nô Pintcha’s draw to Benfica, mean that Morabeza sit alone atop the table. No goals from Delton or Nazy this week so the two remain tied as Golden Boot leaders with 3 goals a piece.
Reminder that f you’re interested in watching games, they can be streamed on the Desporto Brava Facebook page.
Fogo
Subsidy Payments Start for Clubs based in São Filipe
The São Filipe City Hall paid the first installment of its annual subsidy to federated football clubs competing in regional competitions today, Monday, the 5th, according to the municipal secretary for sport. This season, São Filipe has nine registered teams across the first and second divisions, three fewer than last year, but still accounting for more than half of all clubs on the island.
If maintained at last season’s level, the total subsidy amounts to around one million escudos (~£7.9k or $10.6k), divided between first-division clubs, second-division clubs, and the Regional Football Association of Fogo (ARFF). The initial payment covers 50% of the allocation, with the remaining installment to be released after clubs and the ARFF justify their use, following the model used in prior seasons.
Taça Fogo Quarterfinals
Juventus de Curral Grande knock another favorite out via penalties. The Round of 16 saw Juventus CG defeat Cutelinho in a penalty shootout after drawing 1-1 in regulation. They’ve continued their run in the cup but sending Vulcânico home after a 0-0 draw and 4-2 penalty victory. The team currently sits 5th in the league table, sandwiched between semifinal opponent Valência (6th) and Académica (4th), who sill face Botafogo in the other semifinal. Botafogo, who defeated 2° Division ABC Patim 5-1, sit atop the league table and will be heavy favorites to win both the league and cup competitions on the island.
Santiago Sul
Santiago Sul U-17 Championship Begins
The Santiago Sul Under-17 Regional Championship got underway over the weekend, with EPIF beginning the defense of its title against Criolinhos in the opening round at the Várzea Stadium in Praia. EPIF dispatched Criolinhos handedly, 6-1. Later on Saturday, traditional contenders Bola Pra Frente drew 1-1 with Prédio.
The opening round continued on Sunday at the Sucupira field, where last season’s finalists EFSOD defeated Atletas de Cristo, 6-1. Following that game, Academia Aliança lost to Maracanã, 0-4. The competition features eight teams playing a round-robin format, with the top four advancing to the semifinals. As reigning national champions, EPIF will again represent Santiago Sul in the Cabo Verde Under-17 Championship.
EFAT Accuses ARFSS of Exclusion Over Email Error Ahead of U‑17 Championship
The Escola de Futebol Achada Grande Trás (EFAT) says it was barred from the Santiago Sul Regional Under‑17 Championship because the regional federation (ARFSS) misspelled the school’s email address, leaving EFAT unaware of the November 18, 2025 registration meeting. After repeated attempts to resolve the issue, EFAT’s president, Edmilson Garcia, reports that the ARFSS refused the payment, made disparaging remarks, and offered a last‑minute “play‑off” against another unregistered team, a solution EFAT deemed unfair.
EFAT has now appealed to the Cabo Verdean Football Federation (FCF), demanding an apology, transparent procedures, and the right to compete. The dispute comes as Cabo Verde celebrates recent national‑team successes, underscoring concerns that administrative missteps threaten the development of youth football in the islands.
Senior sides continue Taça Praia games
The games this weekend, the second round of the Taça Praia, consisted almost entirely of Division 1° vs 2° matchups, Relâmpago drawing Bairro 0-0 (2-4 penalties) being the exception.. Unfortunately for the romantics, the Division 1° sides came out on top in every game. The closest saw Unidos do Norte draw 1-1 with Asa Grande during regulation but manage to progress in the knockout competition via penalties, 3-2, and Fiorentina holding Desportivo to a 1-1 draw through regulation and losing 5-4 on penalties. Académica and Boavista earned byes this round.
Santo Antão Norte
New Turf at Estádio João Serra to Open Santo Antão Norte Season
The new synthetic turf at Estádio João Serra in Ponta do Sol was officially inaugurated on Sunday, January 4th, marking the start of the 2025/26 football season in Santo Antão Norte. According to the Ribeira Grande City Council, the new turf represents an investment of 32,500 contos (~£257k or $344.5k), financed jointly by the municipality and the Ministry of Sports, as part of a broader plan to modernize sports infrastructure and improve conditions for youth development and official competitions.
The inauguration also included the presentation of a new team bus allocated to Santo Antão through the Cabo Verdean Football Federation, funded under the FIFA Forward program. Coaches from the northern‑region clubs: Foguetões, Solpontense, Santo Crucifixo, and Beira Mar, expressed strong satisfaction with the high‑quality turf, saying it will elevate the level of play and demand solid physical preparation.
On the pitch, the season gets underway the same day with the opening round of the regional cup, played in a round-robin format. Foguetes vs. Solpontense (2:00 pm) and Santo Crucifixo vs. Beira Mar (4:00 pm) headline the first round, while Rosariense sits out. The cup final is scheduled for April 4.
Taça Santo Antão Norte
Just two games to start the cup competition as Rosariense, who were absent from competitions last year, have a bye. Two teams who did participate last season, title winners Paulense and last placed Torreiense, had previously decided not to participate in competitions for the 2025/26 season. The withdrawal of Paulense especially hurts the competitiveness of the regional competitions but it will give Solpontense, Santo Crucifixo, and Foguetões an opportunity to push for the national stage.
Santo Antão Sul
Taça Porto Novo continues
The regional cup competition in Santo Antão Sul continues its group stage. Given the odd number of teams in the competition, we don’t have an even number of games played but Sanjoanenses are top despite their draw to Académica. Though, Académica have a game in hand and still have to face Lajedos, who are bottom, and Inter Porto Novo, who sit comfortably mid-table (also on two games).
São Nicolau
Week 4 of Campeonato Regional
Top of the table SC Atlético have yet to concede a single goal through four matches. They are one of three teams in the league that have scored 11 goals thus far, an average of 2.75 goals/game. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the only points they’ve dropped were in a 0-0 draw with 2nd place Praia Branca, second only because they failed to keep a clean sheet this week against Belo Horizonte.
More bad news for Praia Branca as their keeper, Nha, left the game with a broken leg after colliding with Belo Horizonte’s forward. The club announced some good news,
Our goalkeeper has had his surgery and everything went well. He's now recovering and we're back!
The second half saw a wonderful free kick goal from Praia Branca, you can watch it here.
São Vicente
Campeonato Regional starts Week 1
We had the opening tournament, we had a play-in that established Falcões do Norte as the team to replace Farense’s vacated spot, and we now have a start to the regional league. Mindelense made a statement win defeating last year’s runner-up, Derby, 5-2.
That’s all for this week’s roundup.