Copa América Femenina is South America’s premier women’s football spectacle, with this summer’s edition in Ecuador featuring some of the region’s biggest stars.
It will serve as a major milestone ahead of the 2027 Women’s World Cup, held in Brazil, which marks the first time the tournament is heading to South America. While the passion for football is instilled in the identities of so many nations that comprise the continent, and the women who play football, the sport hasn’t always been as accessible for women (and, in many ways, that still rings true today).
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Women’s football was banned in Brazil for nearly four decades until 1979. While football has exploded across Brazil since, having a World Cup on home soil will be a game-changer for raising exposure and public interest, and its impact will be felt around South America.
Copa América is the first milestone in the lead-up to the World Cup, giving federations a glimpse into where their teams stand two years out, and how far they have to go before next year’s qualifying. These next three weeks also give fans the chance to see South American stars, new and old.
Brazilian icon Marta, 39, is returning to the international stage after a brief retirement. She and the defending champions are vying for a record fifth consecutive title. The Colombian national team, led by Real Madrid’s Linda Caicedo and Chelsea’s Mayra Ramirez, spent the last six months facing some of the world’s best teams in preparation following head coach Angelo Marsiglia’s vision.
The tournament kicks off on July 11 – a recent change from the initial start date of July 12 – with hosts Ecuador squaring off against Uruguay.
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Over the weekend, Uruguay refused to train, protesting their working conditions. After tense negotiations, their players’ union told on Tuesday that players had reached a favorable solution and resumed training.
Public spats between federations and their women’s national teams are not new in South America. Last year, four players stepped away from national team duty in Argentina in protest, reminiscent of the time in 2019 when the team’s most famous player, former captain Estefania Banini, was sidelined after being openly critical of the team’s coaching staff and their training methods.
The stories on and off the field are ripe. Here are the key details you need to know.
What is Copa América Femenina?
Copa América Femenina dates back to 1991. This summer’s edition is the first that will follow CONMEBOL’s new strategy that aims to grow women’s football across the continent. The tournament will now be held biannually, instead of every four years, and the confederation has also introduced South American qualifiers as a pathway for teams into future World Cups.
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These changes could have significant gains for women’s football in South America if federations pair this with proper investment into their national teams. It gives South American teams the chance to play competitive matches more frequently, something that remains a luxury for most teams.
Historically, the top finishers of the tournament qualified for the World Cup. This time, instead of qualifying for FIFA’s largest event, Copa América serves as a pathway into the Pan American Games and the Olympics in 2028. The winner and runner-up automatically qualify for the Olympics, while the third, fourth and fifth place teams earn slots to the Pan Am games.
Who are the hosts?
The tournament is being staged in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.
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It is the second-largest city in the country, with a diverse population of about 1.95 million as of 2023, according to EBSCO. It is home to several football clubs, which are lending their venues for the three-week spectacle. The stadiums range from 45 minutes to 1 hour apart by car.
With an altitude of 2,850 meters, Quito is one of the highest capital cities in the world.
As for weather, daytime temperatures are expected to range from 50F to 70F (10C to 21C), with slightly cooler temperatures in the evening.
Ecuador was set to host the men’s Copa América in 2024, but the federation pulled out the year prior, citing security and infrastructure concerns. Instead, the tournament was staged in the United States.
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The women’s edition is much smaller, meaning it will be easier to stage.
Ticket prices went on sale starting at $3 for the group stage and $5 for the final. That’s a steep drop from the $200 get-in price we saw for the men’s edition last year.
Who are the past winners?
There have only been two winners of the competition across nine editions: eight-time champion Brazil, and Argentina, which won the championship in 2006. This speaks to the dominance of women’s football in Brazil, fueled by Marta, whose success and visibility inspired generations of players in the nation and across South America.
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What is the tournament format?
All 10 CONMEBOL nations compete, with teams split evenly into two groups of five.
Group A: Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru
Group B: Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Venezuela, Bolivia
The tournament begins on July 11, with 25 matches across the month. Most group stage matchdays have two games a day, with start times of 5pm and 8pm ET.
Instead of a traditional knockout round, there is a 5th-place match (the third-place finishers of both groups) on July 28. The winner of this game matters because, remember, they are the last team to earn a ticket to the Pan-Am Games.
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The semifinals will take place on July 28 and 29. The third-place game is on August 1, and the final is the following day.
There are 20 group stage games, one match for fifth place, two semifinals, a third-place game and the final.
Which stadiums will host matches?
The stadium opened in 2021 with a capacity of 12,000. The venue is owned by Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle, which competes in LigaPro Serie A, Ecuador’s top flight. It has hosted several major tournament finals, as well as Ecuador’s women’s national team, which debuted there in 2021 against Bolivia.
This venue is home to SD Aucas, one of Ecuador’s most historic clubs. It’s slightly larger and older than IDV stadium, with a capacity of 18,799 fans, and was established in 1994. Nicknamed , the venue is known for its lively atmosphere. It was also the first club-owned stadium in Quito. (Fun fact: Iron Maiden played here in 2009.)
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This football stadium is nicknamed , or “The White House,” and is the home stadium for LDU Quito. It’s the largest of the Copa América venues with a capacity of 41,575. It’s also the largest stadium in Quito and the second largest in Ecuador. This stadium will host the semifinals and the tournament final.
Which teams are competing?
Ecuador
The host nation’s best result in the Copa América was a third-place finish in 2014. The team’s roster is a mix of experienced and young talent, with 33-year-old captain Ligia Moreira at the helm.
The defender guided Ecuador through the nation’s first World Cup in 2015. The team begins the competition against Uruguay, an even-sided opponent. One advantage for Ecuador? They’re already acclimated to the altitude.
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Argentina
could be the dark horse of this competition. They have a long history in Copa, as the only other team to have won the tournament after eight-time champion Brazil. They finished third in 2022, with forward Yamila Rodriguez netting six goals in six matches, making her the top goalscorer of the competition. The 27-year-old is likely to remain a key figure this summer, especially if she’s able to carry that 2022 momentum.
Chile
The Chilean national team sits fourth in the FIFA rankings of CONMEBOL teams. is entering their second major tournament under head coach Luis Mena, who guided the team to silver at the 2023 Pan-American Games after falling 1-0 to Mexico in the final. They are one of two teams that have participated in every edition of the Copa América, with their best finishes coming in 1991 and 2018, both times as runners-up.
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Uruguay
Uruguay, the smallest nation in the competition, opens the tournament against host nation Ecuador, days after protesting for better conditions. They recently had a promising showing against Mexico in a pair of friendlies, drawing 2-2 and losing 1-0. They are tied with Venezuela as having the least appearances in Copa, with 6 wins, 3 draws and 20 losses across 29 matches.
Peru
Peru has nothing to lose and everything to gain. While they have a losing record across 31 appearances in Copa América, with their best finish in 1998 when they came in third, the team is taking this competition seriously. They were the first team to arrive in Quito, head coach Emily Lima said, and have used the extra time to acclimate to the local conditions. In Lima’s words, they’re ready for battle.
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Brazil
Across 50 appearances, the Brazilian national team has only ever lost two matches. Their 268 goals scored dwarf the 18 they’ve conceded, with six out of the nine editions featuring a Brazilian as the competition’s top goalscorer. Brazil will be the team to beat.
Colombia
are the favorites to dismantle Brazil. Head coach Marsiglia has used the past year to challenge his players by setting up friendlies with some of the best teams in the world, including the United States, Japan and Brazil — sometimes yielding lopsided results. To Marsiglia, the only way to get better is by raising the standard of their opponents. One of the two final matches of the group stage, which run simultaneously on July 25, will be between Colombia and Brazil, making the match appointment viewing this summer. It’s also a repeat of 2022’s final.
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Paraguay
Paraguay has a winning record among its 31 Copa América appearances. Their roster of young stars is anchored by a core of veteran players who will guide their team through the competition. One player to watch is 23-year-old Belen Riveros, who was named the best player of the Paraguayan league in 2024.
Venezuela
Venezuela opens the tournament against Colombia, an early test for . The team is captained by Portland Thorns forward Deyna Castellanos and features a trio of teenage players debuting with the senior roster after spending time with the under-17s. This mixture of the old guard and new has the potential to fuel the next generation of Venezuelan football.
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Bolivia
Bolivia is the only team to never have finished in the top four of Copa América, with their best finish being fifth place in 1995. The team is the lowest-ranked, with a massive gap between them at No. 105 versus top-ranked Brazil (No. 4). For Bolivia, a point would be progress, especially since the team hasn’t won a match since October 31, 2023. Their last friendly on July 3 ended with a 5-0 loss against Chile.
What are the key storylines?
Brazil going for their ninth title
Brazil features a cohort of NWSL stars, including Orlando Pride’s Marta and Kansas City Current goalkeeper Lorena. The roster features many of the same stars who won silver in last year’s Olympics, which many thought would be Marta’s final match on the international stage. With the 39-year-old’s return, this could be her final tournament or, maybe, she’ll hold out retirement until after the 2027 World Cup in her home nation. One more player to watch, Kerolin, was voted the NWSL’s most valuable player in 2023 and one of the league’s high-profile offseason departures when she signed with Manchester City in January.
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Colombia, a favorite to shock Brazil
are one of the other favorites in this tournament. In 2022, they finished Copa América second, after losing 1-0 against Brazil in the final — a result that could have easily gone the other way.
The team is filled with young, rising stars such as 20-year-old Real Madrid forward Linda Caicedo and 26-year-old Chelsea striker Mayra Ramirez. Both dazzled on the world stage in 2023, Caicedo with her technical prowess and Ramirez with her tenacity. Galatasaray forward Catalina Usme was the 2018 Copa América’s top goalscorer and will be a threat. The squad’s greatness comes from its depth.
Argentina may surprise you
This national team sits third among CONMEBOL nations, per FIFA’s rankings. Gremio’s Yamila Rodriguez, the 2022 edition’s top goalscorer, is a force up top alongside 19-year-old Boca Juniors forward Kishi Denise Núñez. Then there’s 29-year-old Aldana Cometti, the team’s captain with more than 90 caps with Argentina. She is a vital asset for head coach German Portanova, especially as he balances a shrinking class of veteran stars with Argentina’s next generation of players.
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How to watch
The tournament will be available in the U.S. in English on FS1, FS2 and FOX Soccer Plus and in Spanish on VIX, VIX+ and TUDN. The competition will also be on .
On Thursday, FOX Sports unveiled its final coverage plans for the tournament, including its broadcast schedule and talent line-up, which features a trio of current and former players and two long-time soccer broadcasters as play-by-play announcers.
There’s former USWNT midfielder Lori Lindsey, one of five players to compete in all three versions of professional women’s soccer in the U.S., and Scotland international and former Bay FC defender Jen Beattie, who retired in January after an 18-year career. Racing Louisville forward Janine Sonis (née Beckie) rounds out the trio as the 30-year-old makes her debut with the network. Long-time broadcasters John Strong and JP Dellacamera have been tapped for play-by-play on games available on FS1.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Women’s Soccer
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