Cape Verde's forward #20 Ryan Mendes kicks the ball during the 2026 World Cup Group H football match between Uruguay and Cape Verde at the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on June 21, 2026. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty Images) Getty
FIFA said it is in contact with New Zealand authorities after a Brazilian woman alleged she sought help from officials with the Cape Verde Football Federation before and after reporting Ryan Mendes to police, according to Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte.
The latest report from ge shifts the focus from the allegation itself to how the matter was handled by football authorities after the woman said she reported what had happened.
Mendes, Cape Verde's captain, has played in all three of the team's matches during its Cinderella run to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. New Zealand police are investigating the matter. No charges against Mendes have been announced, and the allegation has not been proven in court.
GettyCape Verde's forward Ryan Mendes kicks the ball during the 2026 World Cup Group H football match between Uruguay and Cape Verde at the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on June 21, 2026.
In a statement provided to O Globo , FIFA said it treats allegations of misconduct seriously but declined to comment on any potential investigation.
"FIFA takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process for anyone in football who wants to report an incident.
"As a general rule, it is important to understand that independent judicial bodies do not comment on allegations they may or may not have received, nor on whether or not there are ongoing investigations into the alleged cases.
"Any information they wish to share will be communicated at their discretion.
"FIFA is in contact with the New Zealand authorities. Please understand that we cannot comment further at this time."
New Zealand Football also declined to comment on the substance of the case.
"We understand that this matter is with the New Zealand Police, so they would be more appropriately positioned to comment on the situation."
According to ge, the Brazilian woman said she first contacted an operations employee with the Cape Verde Football Federation before filing a police complaint and later reached out to two additional federation officials after reporting the matter to New Zealand authorities.
The outlet reported that screenshots of those conversations were included in formal legal notices sent to both the Cape Verde Football Federation and FIFA.
According to ge, one federation official allegedly wrote in a message that the matter was "Ryan's personal problem." The woman reportedly responded that she believed it also involved the federation because she had been working with the Cape Verde delegation when the alleged incident occurred.
Globo Esporte reported that another federation official acknowledged the secretary-general had been informed of the matter and that it was being handled by the appropriate people.
The outlet said it sought comment from the officials involved. One former federation executive said he no longer worked for the organization and was not part of the delegation in New Zealand. The other officials had not publicly responded at the time of publication.
The developments come as Cape Verde prepares for a Round of 32 showdown with Argentina after becoming one of the biggest surprise stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As of Sunday, neither FIFA nor the Cape Verde Football Federation had announced disciplinary action involving Mendes, and there was no public indication that he would be unavailable for the knockout match.
The New Zealand police investigation remains ongoing.
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