The Cape Verde national football team has secured a kit partnership with American brand Capelli Sport for their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. The deal was highlighted this week.
Capelli Sport, founded in 2011 by Lebanon-born, New York-based entrepreneur George Altirs, is already the official kit partner of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA). That partnership began in 2019 and was renewed in 2023. Now, Cape Verde's "Blue Sharks" will wear the brand's gear on their road to the FIFA tournament. This news comes as the team looks to build on its qualifying campaign.
The national team is on a mixed path in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. After a 1-0 win in September, Cape Verde suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Cameroon. Their qualifying history also includes positive results against Libya, Angola, Mauritius, and Eswatini. Consistency will be key to securing a spot in the final tournament in North America.
Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming challenges on our standings page. Cape Verde's recent experience on big stages, including a solid performance against the reigning world champions at the last World Cup, brings confidence to the project. Squad management is central to this phase, and details are available on our squad page.
For Capelli Sport, this collaboration is a significant step in its global strategy. "What else can I take from it? 'Who can I meet? What can I bring back home?'", said Shaun Fuentes, Head of TTFA Communications and author of the weekly 'Pro Look' column. Fuentes, who has covered six World Cups since Germany 2006, sees these partnerships as bridges between different football realities.
The brand, now kitting a Caribbean federation and an ascending African nation, boosts its visibility at a key time. Its association with Trinidad and Tobago football continues, despite the team's recent disappointment in losing a playoff to Canada, which ended hopes of reaching the Copa América.
Covering a global tournament offers unique perspectives. Fuentes worked as a FIFA media officer at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2013 U-20 World Cup in Turkey. He also served as Trinidad and Tobago's press officer at the 2006 World Cup. In his travels to over 90 countries, he has witnessed the event's evolution.
During the semi-finals and finals of the World Cups in Russia and Qatar, live production reaches another level. In Doha in 2022, Fuentes experienced ESPN studios during the final week and engaged in a conversation with Argentine great Mario Kempes. Team logistics are also impressive: Brazil used the Red Bull New York Performance Centre as their base, and France used Red Bull's second training facility the same week.
With the Capelli Sport partnership sealed, the focus for the Cape Verde national team returns fully to the pitch. The immediate objective is to successfully handle the remainder of the 2026 World Cup qualification pathway. The team must capitalize on positive moments and learn from setbacks like the defeat to Cameroon.
Experience from previous competitions will be an asset. Their performance against the world's best proves Cape Verde can compete at this level. Consistency in results against similarly ranked teams will be the key to making history and securing their tournament place. Fans can analyze all the numbers from the campaign on our stats page. The path is set, and the "Blue Sharks" now have a new commercial ally for the journey.
