Weekly Roundup | 11/09/2025
A weekly roundup of all things football in Cabo Verde
Men’s National Team
Steven Moreira, who helped the men’s national team qualify for next year’s World Cup, plays his club football for Columbus Crew in the MLS. Columbus list the final game of their three game playoff series with FC Cincinnati. This marks the end of Moreira’s playoffs this season.
The US ambassador in Cabo Verde, Jennifer Adams, traveled to the offices of the Cabo Verdian Football Federation (FCF) in Praia. FCF president, Mário Semedo said that the visit is a “gesture of great significance” as the two nations work to ensure compliance with eligibility rules including visas for players, coaches, family, and fans.
In what isn’t typically a newsworthy story, Cabo Verdian international Carlos Ponck was registered by Aves SAD in Portugal using his real name and date of birth. The registration comes after months of controversy surrounding allegations of identity and age falsification.
Boa Vista
The third week of the opening tournament, Torneio de Abertura, took place this weekend on the island of Boa Vista. Sanoanense continue to struggle with 0 points while last year’s champions, Sal-Rei, and Baixo and África Show top the table with 7 points and only goal differential separating them.
Brava
Some drama in the Torneio Inter-Zonas, a tournament between the different municipalities of Brava, as Gambia FC withdraw from the competition in protest of “serious injustice” in disciplinary decisions. The club released a statement in which they say the decision to abandon the competition comes after multiple events they consider “premeditated and in bad faith” originating in the match between Gambia FC and Furna. According to the club, a player from Gambia was sent off due to the accumulation of two yellow cards but the referee’s report indicated that the sending off was due to a direct red card offence. Gambia FC accuse the referees and the officials of the other teams colluded to manipulate the report.
The tournament continued over the weekend with Nossa Senhora do Monte losing to Furna, 2-1, and Pé di Rotxa beating Gambia, who we thought had withdrawn, 3-1. In the final game Lém defeated Cachaço 3-1. This concludes the final week of games and the teams of Pé di Rotxa, Nossa Senhora do Monte, Furna, and Lém will move on to the semifinals.
Fogo
While a support pillar was being built for the East wall of the Estádio 5 de Julio in São Filipe, part of said wall collapsed. Built in the 1970s with so called ‘soft stone’ and later enlarged in the ‘90s, the wall could not hold up to the vibrations due to heavy machinery and trucks on site.
A proposal was put forward for the reconstruction of the wall but also the raising of the stadium to create a new bench on the east side of the field. The new design allows for an increase of 350 seats, covered benches, and facilities.
We also saw the second week of games played in the campeonato regional with Vulcânico and Botafogo, last year’s champion, at the top of the table. Newly promoted Desportivo do Cova Figueira struggle with the start of the season and Baxada sits mid-table, but it is still early in the season.
Maio
No word yet on the status of the regional league of Maio. The association failed to host a competition last season but as mentioned in the last roundup, several clubs have expressed interest in participating in this year’s competition.
Sal
Both the 1st and 2nd divisions of the campeonato regional kicked off this weekend. Last year’s regional and national champion GD Palmeira started the season with a comfortable 4-1 win over newly promoted Florença.
Relegated Pretória could only manage a 1-1 draw against Rua D’Salina in their first game back in the 2nd Division.
Santiago Norte
The regional league in Santiago Norte joined many of the other regional leagues in starting their season. Last year’s champions Scorpion Vermelho started the season with a 1-0 win over Benfica SC. The game was streamed on GAFT TV.
Santiago Sul
The southern part of the island of Santiago continued with the second week of action in the campeonato regional. The biggest results came from the domination of Académica and Boavista over their opponents. Académica handidly defeated Relampago, meaning lightning in Portuguese, 3-0 while Boavista shipped 5 past Ribeira Grande, who managed to score one and avoid being shutout.
Santo Antão Norte
Confirmation came that the season will being in the second half of December. According to the AFRSAN, the Santo Antão Norte Regional Football Association, six clubs have registered with Torreense failing to register or provide any explanation for missing the deadline in October. Like many of the other leagues, the clubs have decried the state of the facilities and conditions and asked for improvements. Back in September, the municipality confirmed that it would replace the turf at the Estádio João Serra and include new changing rooms, an athletics track, improvement to the benches, and finally the installation of a press area.
Santo Antão Sul
The Regional Football Association of Santo Antão Sul confirmed the start of their season will be November 29th. That date will see the SuperTaça between Os Sanjoanenses, the regional champion, and Lajedos, the winner of the Taça Porto Novo.