2026 Copa Loreta Valadares Kicks Off in Bahia to Boost Women's Football Ahead of 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup
The 2026 Copa Loreta Valadares launches in Bahia with 40 women's football teams competing to promote the sport ahead of the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
- • The 2026 Copa Loreta Valadares features 40 teams from Salvador, the Metropolitan Region, and Recôncavo Baiano across multiple age groups.
- • Over 800 athletes and more than 1,000 women including coaches and referees participate, reflecting strong regional support for women's football.
- • The tournament, running from March 21 to May 24, serves as a qualifier for the Copa Rainha Marta Nordeste 2026.
- • The event honors Loreta Valadares, a feminist activist, symbolizing the fight against sexism in sports and supporting empowerment of women in athletics.
Key details
The fourth edition of the Copa Loreta Valadares women's football tournament was officially launched on March 9, 2026, in Bahia, signaling a major step forward in promoting women's football in the region ahead of the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. The event's opening took place at Estádio de Pituaçu, which will also host the tournament's first matches starting March 21, running through until May 24, 2026.
The competition features 40 teams drawn from Salvador, the Metropolitan Region, and Recôncavo Baiano, across age categories including sub-15, sub-17, and adult divisions—four teams compete in sub-15, eight in sub-17, and 28 in the adult category. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2026 Copa Rainha Marta Nordeste, enhancing its significance in the northern northeast football circuit.
More than 800 female athletes will participate, alongside over 1,000 women including coaches, referees, and other supporting roles. These figures illustrate the region's strong commitment to empowering women in sports and fighting gender inequality in football.
Named after Loreta Valadares, a feminist activist and educator who opposed Brazil's military dictatorship, the tournament symbolizes the ongoing struggle against sexism in sports. Juliana Camões, coordinator of the "Mais Mulheres no Esporte" program at the State Sports Superintendence (Sudesb), highlighted the challenges of organizing the event but emphasized its crucial role in inspiring and empowering women and girls.
Secretary of Labor, Employment, Income, and Sports, Augusto Vasconcelos, underlined the government's dedication to supporting women's football as Bahia prepares to host matches for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. Aline Lima, part of the FIFA Women's World Cup organizing committee, also stressed the tournament’s importance for strengthening women's football in the state.
Young athlete Suedy Magalhães, 13, expressed her enthusiasm: "This tournament is a dream opportunity to showcase our talent and passion for football." The Copa Loreta Valadares thus stands as both a developmental platform and a celebration of women's football, helping pave the way for future generations of female athletes in Brazil.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (2)
Source comparison
Announcement date of the tournament launch
Sources report different dates for the launch of the tournament.
ba.gov.br
"The fourth edition of the Copa Loreta Valadares de Futebol Feminino, aimed at promoting women's football in Bahia, will commence on March 21 and run until May 24, 2026."
ba.gov.br
"In anticipation of Bahia hosting the Women's World Cup in 2027, the fourth edition of the Copa Loreta Valadares for women's amateur and youth football was launched on March 9."
Why this matters: One source states the tournament was launched on March 9, while the other indicates it was launched earlier. This discrepancy affects the understanding of the timeline leading up to the tournament.