Brava: Regional Football Championship between cautious optimism and feelings of neglect, discouragement and resignation

The possibility of another zero sporting season hangs over the Brava, despite the efforts of the Regional Football Association and the confirmation that a small number of clubs have expressed their intention to compete.

In statements to our reporter, the President of the Brava Regional Football Association, Samuel Varela, showed cautious optimism, indicating that talks with the clubs have revealed a possibility of progress, even with just four teams. "The Cape Verdean Football Federation is going to extend the deadline, which all the clubs are already aware of, and we're going to meet on Monday, with the presence of the Brava City Council, with the resumption of the championship and competitions on the agenda," said Varela, signaling an attempt to reverse the scenario of inaction.

Sources close to the Brava City Council, although they didn't give details of institutional support, confirmed that they know from the ARFB that the registration process is underway with the participation of four clubs: Nô Pintcha, Morabeza, Académica and Benfica. This number, however, reflects the fragility of regional soccer.

One of these sources, showing some dissatisfaction with the management of the calendar at national level, criticized the attitude of the federation: "As for the deadline, the FCF has been extending it every year, as a way of making life easier for those who don't organize themselves. I don't agree with this attitude, which is akin to sloppiness."

The same source acknowledged the difficulty of the local context, especially after the previous year's halt, stressing the commitment to overcoming the obstacles: "In our case, we didn't have events last year, the effort to resume is not easy, but we are working on it."

The lack of competitions in the previous sporting season left deep scars, affecting the motivation of the players, the structure of the clubs and the sporting dynamics of the island. A repeat of this scenario is the great fear of the Bravense community.

Despite the news about the possible resumption, the silence of some clubs contacted until the closing of this piece is notorious and contributes to the climate of uncertainty. Sources close to Nô Pintcha and Morabeza have guaranteed their participation. The absence of a statement from the other two clubs mentioned raises questions about their level of preparation, organization and, above all, their financial capacity to bear the costs of a sporting season.

All eyes are now on next Monday's meeting, where the Regional Football Association, the clubs and the Brava City Council will try to find a consensus and the necessary solutions to guarantee the kick-off of the championship. The fate of Brava soccer hangs in the balance between the desire of four clubs to keep the flame burning and the real risk of seeing another year of empty fields, deepening the feeling of discouragement and resignation on the island.