(ZENIT News / New Haven, Connecticut, 07.21.2026).- On every team, there is a player who steps up when the game is on the line. The captain’s armband distinguishes him as the one who leads with courage and responsibility.
This summer, during the FIFA World Cup, the Knights of Columbus used that powerful symbol to ask millions of men a simple question, yet one capable of changing a life: Do you accept the call to be a captain?
Founded in 1882 by Blessed Michael McGivney, the Knights of Columbus were born with the mission of helping Catholic men support and protect their families, many of whom were immigrants building new lives in a new country. Nearly 150 years later, that same mission reaches Latino families through a language the whole world shares: soccer.
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The «Calling Captains» initiative, brought that invitation to life in two ways: via digital media and in person at FIFA Fan Fests. Throughout the World Cup, the Knights of Columbus sought out men willing to answer the call and personally presented them with a captain’s armband at the Fan Fests. On the field, the armband identifies the player leading the team; off the field, it symbolizes a man’s call to lead his family, serve his community, and live out his faith. Each armband was presented alongside a personal conversation and an invitation to embrace that responsibility every day.
«The captain’s armband makes visible a responsibility that many men already carry in silence. We present it to those called to stand up for their families, their communities, and their faith,» said Jesse Caballero, Senior Hispanic Marketing Specialist for the Knights of Columbus.
At the FIFA Fan Fest in Dallas, Omar Aguilar, the Knights’ Spanish-language evangelization content specialist, presented captain’s armbands to men during some of the matches, inviting them to be stronger leaders in their families, their communities, and the Church. What began in Dallas has been replicated in World Cup host cities and in communities where families gather to celebrate soccer alongside local Knights of Columbus councils.
«We don’t go to Fan Fests just to hand out flyers. We go to start conversations and remind men of their calling,» Aguilar said. «I speak to each man, place the captain’s armband on his arm, look him in the eye, and tell him I am counting on him to be a captain for his faith and his family. You can see their gratitude, and you can see the joy on the faces of their wives and children. Latino Catholics don’t need to be convinced to love soccer. We simply offer a bridge connecting that passion to their faith, their vocation to serve, and the leadership they are called to assume within their own families.»
The invitation was also extended online through a series of short videos that revisit unforgettable moments from past World Cups, connecting them to faith, family, and service. Whether through the «captain’s armband» theme or digital storytelling, the message remains the same: men today are called to step up and become captains.
«Every moment that inspires millions during the World Cup opens a door. Beneath the excitement of a spectacular goal or an extraordinary tackle lies the same yearning for greatness that, deep down, draws the human heart toward God. Our content is designed to help open that door,» added Caballero.
About the Knights of Columbus
In 1882, Blessed Michael McGivney, a young diocesan priest in New Haven, Connecticut, founded the Knights of Columbus to address the needs of a largely immigrant Catholic community. What began as a small fraternal benefit society has grown into the world’s leading Catholic lay organization, with more than 2.2 million members across over 16,800 local councils.
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As members of one of the world’s most significant charitable organizations, the Knights donated more than 48 million hours of service and over US$197 million to worthy causes in their communities in 2024.
The Knights of Columbus also offer a variety of life insurance products to their members and their families. The Knights of Columbus have more than $14 billion (as of March 31, 2026) of life insurance in force. Additionally, the organization offers investment services aligned with the Church’s Social Doctrine through its subsidiary, Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors, which manages more than US$30 billion (as of April 30, 2026) in assets. Guided by the principles of charity, unity, and fraternity, the Knights of Columbus are committed to strengthening Catholic families and parishes, helping men grow in their faith and put it into action through service to all those in need.
Investment services are offered through Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors («KoCAA»), a subsidiary of the Knights of Columbus. KoCAA is a SEC-registered investment adviser.
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