Brazilian Initiatives Empower Girls and Shape Future of Women’s Football Ahead of 2027 World Cup

In Rio de Janeiro, a groundbreaking effort to empower girls through football kicked off with the launch of the Pioneiras nas Escolas program at the Juan Antonio Samaranch Municipal School in Santa Teresa. On September 21, over 100 girls participated in a mini-tournament, enthusiastically supported by former Brazilian women’s national team players Marisa Pires (Caju), Maria Lúcia Lima (Fia), and Marilza Martins (Pelezinha). These ex-players shared personal stories about overcoming sexism and prejudices in a male-dominated sport, particularly recalling that football had been legally banned for women in Brazil from 1941 until 1979. Fia, now 62, emphatically recounted her experience fighting macho attitudes, highlighting her determination to prove women’s excellence in football, while Caju remembered how derogatory comments only fueled her ambition to succeed.

The Pioneiras nas Escolas program, coordinated by former player Duda Luizelli and supported by Rio’s Municipal Education Secretariat, integrates sport and education, underscoring the importance of academic pursuits alongside athletic ambitions. The initiative is a part of Rio's broader preparations to host the 2027 Women's World Cup, inspiring young girls to envision a positive future in sports and society.

In São Paulo, the University of São Paulo (USP) has launched PermeÖ Copa 2027, a digital platform collecting experiences from the entire women’s football ecosystem—players, coaches, fans, and researchers. Open to public contributions until November 20, 2026, the platform allows participants to share their insights anonymously to build a collective diagnosis of women's football challenges and opportunities. Led by doctoral researcher Marina Thereza Santos de Souza Özdemir, PermeÖ Copa 2027 aims to analyze aggregated data and publish findings shortly after November 21, 2026. This data-driven approach hopes to help create a more integrated strategy for advancing women's football in Brazil as the nation prepares to host this prestigious tournament.

Together, these initiatives highlight Brazil’s commitment to empowering girls through football and to shaping a resilient future for women’s football, blending grassroots engagement with academic research to foster change and inclusion.