Copa America Femenina: The players delivered, will those in charge now do the same?

New York Times

6 hours ago

Copa América Femenina has come to its glorious and chaotic conclusion, with Brazil and Colombia delivering a championship that was like cinema on the pitch.
The game had it all: a lethal Colombian pairing of Linda Caicedo and Mayra Ramirez slowly dismantling Brazil with every brilliant connection, only to be stopped by 39-year-old Marta and her late-game heroics, a reminder that she unretired for this.
Advertisement
Through 120 minutes and seven rounds of penalty kicks, the Copa América crown was painfully within reach for Las Cafeteras. But Brazil refused to let go.
The 23,798 ticketed fans inside La Casa Blanca in Quito, Ecuador, witnessed an iconic display – a highlight reel of what these players are capable of, despite the limited resources they're often provided with, even on the continent's biggest stage.
The tournament's fairytale ending, however, stands in stark contrast to its low points over the last four weeks, which were riddled with low attendance and organizers' questionable decisions. Players have been outspoken, successfully demanding better conditions, and questioning why their competition is so far behind its wildly successful counterpart in Europe.
The question is a valid one, especially as Brazil prepares to host the continent's first women's World Cup in 2027. If this Copa América is any indication, there is still plenty for those in charge of South American women's soccer to do.
Brazil earned its ninth crown after defeating Colombia 5-4 on penalties, following a 4-4 tie after extra time. The team has never missed a Copa final since the tournament began in 1991. That's a testament to Brazil's dominance and a reminder of the disparities between soccer nations in the region. The only nation to ever top Brazil was Argentina in 2006.
Marta wrote another chapter in her storied career with a late brace. She came on in the 82nd minute, with the teams tied 2-2. Fourteen minutes later, she saved Brazil from defeat with a deadly strike from outside the box in the last second of stoppage time, sending the match into extra time.
She did it again, scoring late in the first half of extra time, putting Brazil ahead for the first time in the match.
Marta knew when she changed her mind about international retirement that she would be returning to Brazil to show up in these moments. Selected as the best player of the tournament, she still has so much left to give. But Marta's willingness to speak out for better conditions off the pitch on South America's biggest stage could be her lasting legacy.
The Copa América was off to a rocky start before it even began, with the Uruguayan national team refusing to train in protest one week before the first scheduled game.
The team's players union was at odds with their federation over resources available to its players. The players soon began sharing statements across social media declaring they would refuse to train 'because we still have no favorable response to the improvement of our conditions.' Their statement continued, 'This measure is not against our passion, but rather for a fair right. We want to represent Uruguay in the Copa América, but we also deserve dignified treatment for our effort and dedication.'
Advertisement
Three days before Uruguay was set to open the tournament against hosts Ecuador, their union spent the day negotiating with the federation until their demands were met. They consisted of basic needs: use of the national-team training center; better training conditions and clothing; reclassification from a 'development team' to full national-team status and improved daily allowances for national and international duty.
Somehow, Uruguay put aside its grievances with its own federation, and 23-year-old Belen Aquino opened the scoring in Copa América with a banger from outside the box. The No. 10 set the pace for Uruguay, which finished in fourth place. It was their second-best Copa showing, after finishing third in 2006.
The controversies resumed with a bombshell revelation by the Brazilian national team five days later.
Following their second group-stage fixture against Bolivia, Brazilian players aired their grievances to reporters in Ecuador, revealing that players were expected to warm up in confined indoor spaces. Images soon began circulating on social media, with a video posted by Dibradoras, a Brazilian media company that covers women's sports, showing Brazilian and Bolivian players warming up next to one another in crowded space.
The defending champions, most notably Marta, did not hold back.
'It's been a long time since I played in a tournament here in South America, and we're saddened by these situations,' Marta told the Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte. '(CONMEBOL) demand performance from the athletes and a high level of work, but we also demand a high level of organization. We have the right to demand organization.
'This situation is really disruptive. There wasn't enough space for both teams, but both wanted to be there to prepare. I really don't understand why we can't warm up on the field. This is still a problem for us because it's very hot here, with the altitude. We hope CONMEBOL reverses some of the issues and improves things.'
Advertisement
Brazilian midfielder Ary Borges echoed Marta's sentiments and openly criticized the lack of a video assistant referee (VAR) system in the group stage. The absence of VAR was painfully obvious throughout the tournament, with mistakes visible to viewers because of broadcast replays.
'We are playing in a competition that counts for a place in the Olympics… and we don't have VAR in the games,' Borges said. 'We can't step onto the pitch in a game against Venezuela without knowing what the pitch (is) like. Worst of all, (we are) warming up on a synthetic pitch, (over) cement, within a space of 10, 15 meters, stinking of paint, because it looks like they painted the stadium there two days, one day before.
'So, it's very difficult, because last year we had a men's Copa América at good times, in good stadiums and we see… this disregard for women's football, and it's a shame.'
CONMEBOL, soccer's governing body in South America, said it implemented this system to prevent damage to the pitch at Gonzalo Pozo Ripalda Stadium, which hosted back-to-back games that evening. Following public statements by Brazilian players, the confederation reneged, allowing players access to the pitch before each game.
Kerolin, who plays for Manchester City in the Women's Super League, compared her experiences in Ecuador with what the world was seeing unravel at Euro 2025 in Switzerland — the best-attended and most-watched edition of the tournament.
'I'm watching the Euro today… and man… The difference in structure, audience, investment is surreal…' Kerolin wrote on X. 'It's downright discouraging, I didn't want to come here to talk about this, but structure would be the bare minimum for us.
'There's no way the whole world can evolve and here it's not even a priority. At least that's the experience I'm having. I hope they review and improve, it's a competition between NATIONAL TEAMS!!'
Advertisement
Yet, despite what they called 'discouraging' actions by those in charge — whether CONMEBOL or a team's own federation — South American teams thrived on the pitch.
Paraguay's Claudia Martinez, 17, became the youngest goal scorer in a Copa América Femenina with a hat-trick against Bolivia, and also scored against Brazil. The teen was a bright spot for fifth-placed Paraguay, which, like Argentina and Uruguay, qualified for the 2027 Pan American Games.
The final was a rematch of 2022 and featured the largest turnout of the tournament, by far. Colombia were fancied by many to possibly dethrone Brazil. Las Cafeteras came very, very close, too.
Brazil's ninth title seemed inevitable last week after the two sides met in the group stage. Colombia could not break through against the defending champions, who were down to 10 players after goalkeeper Lorena was sent off in the 24th minute. Colombia did not capitalize and the 0-0 draw cast doubt on their title credentials.
In the final, Colombia soon put paid to that by doing what very few South America teams can – scoring first against Brazil, putting them in an unfavorable and unfamiliar position. There were brilliant combinations from Caicedo and Ramirez, with Washington Spirit's Leicy Santos scoring off a set piece in the 115th minute, to make it 4-4.
And the result could have been different had Colombia's Jorelyn Carabali not head-butted Brazilian forward Gio Garbelini inside the box, gifting Brazil a penalty, with Angelina making it 1-1 just before half time.
While second place was not the objective for Colombia, this championship will serve as a 'before and after' moment. Their runners-up spot earned their spot at the 2028 LA Olympics, but they must continue their growth and upward trajectory, shifting their focus to World Cup qualification.
With hosts Brazil already qualified, three further places are up for grabs through the inaugural CONMEBOL Women's Nations League, which starts at the end of October. All nine teams play each other home and away with the top two qualifying and the third- and fourth-placed sides entering a playoff.
The new format has the potential for some major upsets, a key ingredient for more cinema on the pitch.