Cape Verde: Green Shoots — Terrace Edition

Words: Luca Dariol

Images: Luca Dariol

It all started as a gift: a 10-day getaway to Cape Verde for my girlfriend. But destiny had a different game plan.

Shortly after booking, the historic news broke: Cape Verde qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

In that moment, my trip transformed. I went from being a simple tourist to a storyteller on a mission: to document what football means to this nation, just as the world is starting to take notice.

I’m not the type of guy who can lie under an umbrella for more than 10 minutes. I need the feel of a ball at my feet or, even better, the chance to talk to the locals and dive into their culture.

So, while everyone else was chasing the sun, I was chasing stadiums, hidden pitches, and the faces of those who live for the game.

I immersed myself in a project that was as much about human connection as it was about photography.

I interviewed everyone from fishermen with salt-worn hands to local coaches with big dreams, asking them all the same question: "What does it feel like to know that, for the first time in history, your flag will fly at the World Cup?"

The answer was always in their eyes—a mix of immense pride and pure disbelief.

On the island of Sal, even in the most touristy areas, you can’t escape "football fever." It’s everywhere.

Locals and tourists alike walk side-by-side in jerseys; it’s no coincidence that the first thing you buy when you land is the official Cape Verde kit. It’s not just a souvenir; it’s a rite of passage. You put it on, and you immediately feel like part of the community.

I dug deep into how their league works, discovering a fascinating system. In the town of Santa Maria alone, there are five teams.

Every weekend is a battle against the other clubs on the island. But the real magic happens later: the winner of each island’s championship goes on to face the champions of the other eight islands in the archipelago.

It’s a national tournament that is literally a journey across the waves.

With its Portuguese roots, European football is highly followed, but the Cape Verdean identity is currently having its "golden moment."

Speaking with the people—from the docks to the dusty inland pitches—left me with one absolute certainty: Cape Verde thrives on three things: fishing, tourism, and a visceral love for football.