This summer, the world fell in love with Cape Verde at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tiny island nation of roughly 525,000 people, scattered across 10 volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa, made its first-ever World Cup appearance and became the tournament’s defining Cinderella story.
Playing without a single victory, the Blue Sharks advanced out of group play on the strength of three gutsy draws, including a scoreless result against eventual champion Spain. They later fell to defending champion Argentina 3-2 in extra time during the Round of 32, a match that captivated fans around the world.
For many people, that was their introduction to Cape Verde. For the Wallingford Soccer Club and the CJSA South Central District, the connection goes back nearly 10 years.
How It Started
The relationship began with a conversation between two people who shared a love of soccer and a desire to give back. Fel Brito, a longtime referee in Wallingford who had worked matches in the community for many years, approached Wallingford Soccer Club referee assignor Scott Flynn with a simple but meaningful request: could the club collect used and leftover soccer equipment and send it to Cape Verde?
Brito, who was born in Cape Verde and returns to his homeland at least once a year, had seen firsthand what the sport means to the people there, and how little they had to play with. Soccer is the island’s number one sport, but only a few teams had uniforms, and equipment of any kind was hard to come by. He knew even a modest collection of gear could make a real difference.
Scott Flynn said yes to the request, and what started as a single collection effort quickly became something much bigger.
From a Wallingford Garage to the Islands
Over the years, the collection process has stayed refreshingly simple. Gear is gathered and stored at a private garage, and from there makes its way to Cape Verde.
About 80 percent of what has been donated is new or never-used equipment such as leftover uniforms, jerseys, and shirts. The remainder includes used gear like balls, cones, cleats, and socks. Shirts and medals left over from the annual Joe Conte Recreational Tournament have also found their way into the mix, with kids in Cape Verde wearing Conte shirts as game jerseys and sporting medals given out back home in Connecticut.
In 2019, the effort expanded beyond Wallingford Soccer Club to include the CJSA South Central District, broadening the reach of the donations and deepening the community’s connection to the cause.
What It Means on the Islands
In the town of Chan De Tanque on the island of Santiago, soccer is life. Kids play before school, after school, and all day on weekends. The climate and the playing surfaces (most fields are dirt, with just one turf surface in Brito’s hometown) are tough on equipment, and balls wear out far faster than they do in Connecticut. Most kids play pickup without a ball of their own.
Brito has described soccer balls as being like gold on the islands. When a donation shipment arrives, it carries more than just equipment. The delivery carries an opportunity for more kids to play more often.
Beyond the gear, Brito has also played a meaningful role in the growth of youth soccer infrastructure on the islands, including his assistance to get a youth soccer academy off the ground. His trips home are no longer just visits. They are working trips, each one bringing a fresh batch of gear and a continued commitment to the sport’s development there. When needed, Brito has also directed portions of the donations to other islands in need.
A Full-Circle Moment
Watching Cape Verde take the world stage this summer has carried a different kind of meaning for those who have been part of this effort. The same country where kids have been playing in Joe Conte Recreational Tournament shirts and Wallingford Soccer Club gear (on dirt fields, with donated balls) pushed Argentina and Lionel Messi to the brink in extra time on the world’s biggest stage.
Cape Verde’s run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a reminder of what the sport can produce when players are given the opportunity to develop and compete. For the CJSA South Central District and Wallingford Soccer Club, that reminder hits close to home. Their donations have been part of that environment for nearly a decade.
Still Going Strong
The work continues. Fel Brito returns to Cape Verde each summer with gear collected from Connecticut, connecting two soccer communities separated by thousands of miles. What started because one referee asked one question has grown into a multi-year effort that has put equipment in the hands of kids who cherish every piece of it.
Cape Verde may have just formally introduced itself to the world this summer, but Connecticut soccer has been proud to know them for a long time.
