Soccer Stories: Westport Meets the World Cup

For one day only, Westport's own vibrant soccer community collides with the world's biggest international tournament at The Westport Library! The FIFA World Cup is here, and few communities have a richer, more personal relationship with the game than Westport — including notable soccer figures Dan Woog, journalist and founder of the Westport Soccer Association, and former Staples soccer player Paddy Donovan.

Hear firsthand accounts from coaches, players, and storytellers who've shaped Westport soccer across generations, then watch the sport's ultimate match unfold live with your neighbors, your kids, and your community. Whether you're a lifelong devotee of the beautiful game or simply someone who gets swept up in the heightened energy every four years, be reminded you why soccer matters beyond the scoreboard.

Dan Woog is one of Westport's most recognized civic voices — a lifelong resident, award-winning journalist, and soccer lifer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated. He is the author of 18 books spanning Westport history, LGBTQ advocacy, and the world of soccer, and since 2009 has published "06880: Where Westport Meets the World," a daily blog devoted to chronicling the town he has called home his entire life. Woog co-founded the Westport Soccer Association in 1975 and spent decades coaching at Staples High School — a career he chronicled in his memoir We Kick Balls: True Stories from the Youth Soccer Wars.

Paddy Donovan brings a younger generation's perspective to the program: a former Staples soccer player and intern with Mickey Kydes Soccer, he is helping design and produce the World Cup activations that will bring the energy of the tournament to life both on the library grounds and inside the Forum.