Wednesday 6/17, noon
Soccer as art
Between matches, World Cup fans can enjoy another aspect of the game by exploring the sport they love through the lens of the diaspora.
The African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA), located at Pittsburgh Yards, is featuring The African Game, a visually striking exhibition of images shot across multiple African countries by Nigerian photographer and filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu.
The series, featuring spectators in Angola, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, is designed to “shift the gaze from the pitch to those who surround it; the fans.” The goal was to “center what the players see rather than what the crowd consumes.”
During an interview with Fahamu Pecou, the museum’s founder and executive director, he told Capital B Atlanta that the exhibit shows that the community and culture around football is a lifestyle across the African diaspora.
“It’s more than a sport; it’s a way people connect and communicate and express themselves, and so what we wanted to do here was capture the essence of that,” Pecou said.
And while he said he believes much of the World Cup experience is focused on the European teams, African countries are playing a major role on the global stage.
“Oftentimes when we think about the sport of football, we don’t really think about Africa in that context, even though most of the dominant players are of African descent or come from the African continent,” he said. “But beyond the players and their abilities, there’s this great sense of community and culture that is also expressed through the sport.”
Pecou said he believes the ADAMA exhibit will present a compelling new look at the global sport.
“We were really intentional about programming this exhibition during this time, because we wanted to create an opportunity and experience for people to get a feel for what football is like in the African diaspora,” Pecou said. “We really wanted to bring that cultural experience here on top of what’s happening with the sport [during the World Cup] and all the activity.”
The African Game will be on display at ADAMA Gallery, 352 University Ave. SW, until July 25.
— Interview conducted by Naji Rutherford
Tuesday, June 16, 12:15 p.m.
Underdog Cape Verde stuns Spain
In its first World Cup appearance, the scrappy team from the small island nation of Cape Verde held its own against powerhouse Spain at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday.
Ranked 61 in the world, Cape Verde achieved a 0-0 draw against third-ranked Spain.
Located less than 400 miles off the coast of West Africa, Cape Verde’s nearly 600,000 residents were jubilant over the team’s performance, especially that of goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias. Known as Vozinha, he shut down Spain with seven saves on 27 shots and earned FIFA’s Man of the Match honors.
“I think it is the most important moment of our lives,” Vozinha, which means “Little Voice,” told ESPN Brasil before the tournament.
Overcome with emotion after the hard-fought match that many are calling a victory, the 19-year soccer veteran picked up 5 million new followers on social media.
“I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and unfortunately they were not here; they died a few years ago,” Vozinha told reporters after the game. “They were everything for me, for my life. I also cried because my mum didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. Because of the money we had to pay for the visa, we didn’t manage to [get it done] on time. I would like her to be here, but I’m also very happy.”
Vozinha also knew what the team’s performance meant to his country.
“I have worked my whole life for this moment,” Vozinha said. “I’m 40 years old. I started playing football professionally when I was 25, in 2012. I thought about leaving, but I continued because of this dream. This is for everyone. I was named man of the match, but this is for all of my teammates because without them nothing would be possible. I will continue to work for Cape Verde and for the people.”
Next up, Cape Verde faces Uruguay in Miami on Sunday.
Monday, June 15, 11:15 a.m.
Cape Verde faces Spain, and Fan Fest energy
A plane full of Cape Verde fans touched down at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport this weekend to cheer on their underdog team as they face off against Spain today at noon.
The match will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For those without tickets, Centennial Olympic Park offers a free public watch party at FIFA Fan Festival, or you can watch on Fox.
At the FIFA Fan Festival on Sunday, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined local residents and fans from around the world to celebrate the start of the games.
“Families were out, kids were playing soccer, fans from around the world were exploring Downtown, and the energy was exactly what we’ve been preparing for,” Dickens posted on Instagram. “If this opening weekend is any sign of what’s ahead, we’re going to have an incredible summer.”
Dickens has said the city expects between 300,000-500,000 visitors during the 34-day tournament.
You can watch all matches at Centennial Park while also enjoying live events, games, and guest appearances. Fans can also hit the Decatur MARTA station for another free watch party featuring three screens.
Today’s opening match is the first of eight games to be played in the city. Check out our listing of other events!
This story has been updated.
