Corinthians boss eyes Women's Club World Cup after strong prep

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Central do Timão

·21 de enero de 2026

Corinthians boss eyes Women's Club World Cup after strong prep

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

On the afternoon of last Tuesday, the Corinthians women's delegation began their journey to England, where they will compete in the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup, the Club World Cup. The first flight took the coaching staff and six players from the squad, marking the beginning of the Brabas' journey in a historic competition for women's football.

Before the trip, coach Lucas Piccinato gave a press conference and highlighted the importance of the tournament, as well as the responsibility of representing Corinthians on a global stage. For the coach, expectations are high both due to the unprecedented nature of the competition and the opportunity to face some of the top teams in women's football worldwide, further projecting the club's name internationally.

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Photo: ©Rodrigo Gazzanel/Ag. Corinthians

“Expectations are very high. This is a very important moment in world women's football: the first competition sanctioned by FIFA. Being able to take the name of Corinthians to the top teams in the world is a great honor. We know there are big challenges ahead, but we are going very well prepared to elevate the name of Corinthians as much as possible,” he began.

Piccinato also commented on the timing of the season in which the World Cup will be played. Unlike men's football, the tournament takes place at the start of the calendar, right after the holiday period. Even so, the coach emphasized that the team had about 15 days of intense preparation in Brazil, enough to regain physical and technical rhythm and arrive in good condition to face opponents from different footballing schools.

“The World Cup ended up coming in the following season and not at the end of the season, as usually happens in the men's game. So, there is a natural holiday period after a very long season, but also a period in which we did very good preparation so that we arrive in great condition to compete with top teams. The expectation is very good to do a great job. Of course, we know the difficulty we will face, as there are different styles, but we are also prepared to face all of this and return with the long-dreamed-of title,” he emphasized.

Corinthians' debut will be against Gotham FC, from the United States, in a match that carries a special ingredient: the reunion with Gabi Portilho, a multi-champion with Timão and currently one of the highlights of the American team. Piccinato praised the striker's career but stressed that the team's preparation is focused on the opponent as a whole, which includes players from traditional national teams in women's football.

“She is a player who was very important at Corinthians, has a beautiful story, and is now making her way at Gotham, already winning titles. She is a great player, as are others at Gotham: the German national team goalkeeper, the Spanish national team striker, and players from the American national team. It will be a great challenge, and obviously we are preparing not only to face Portilho but also the other great athletes at Gotham, just as we have great athletes as well. I believe it will be a great first match,” he pointed out.

The coach believes that recent experiences against teams from the United States may be decisive in the World Cup. In July 2025, Corinthians faced Chicago Stars and Kansas City Current in the Teal Rising Cup, matches that, according to Piccinato, helped the team assimilate the intensity and speed characteristic of American football.

“I think those were two matches that were very important for us, because they put us in the reality of the intensity that is played in the North American league. It was a process that we planned back then so that we could arrive now knowing that we would face Gotham with an understanding of the rhythm and speed of the game,” he commented.

According to the coach, the friendlies served as a basis for strategic adjustments and preparation for the decisive match.

“They were important friendlies at that time and I think they will serve as a benchmark for us to arrive prepared to play a great match. We will have to do a great job, with a lot of focus, to come away with a big win,” he said.

Another aspect highlighted by Piccinato is the support of the fans. The Brabas are expected to have the presence of Fiel Londres, as well as fans from other European branches, such as Portugal, Malta, Ireland, and France. For the coach, knowing that the Corinthians fans will be present in London increases the squad's confidence and creates a special atmosphere for the debut, with expectations of a strong black-and-white presence.

“Certainly, Fiel is extremely important to us and pushes us every day in every match. Knowing that the Corinthians fans will be with us at this moment is extremely important. We are very eager to meet them there and hope we can stage an invasion in England and play a great game,” he concluded.

While part of the delegation is already heading to the United Kingdom, the rest of the group will board a second flight, scheduled for 11:40 pm. The expectation is that the entire squad will be on English soil by Wednesday afternoon.

Corinthians will debut in the World Cup against Gotham FC, in the semifinal scheduled for the 28th at 9:30 am (Brasília time), at the Gtech Community Stadium. Piccinato used all 26 spots made available by FIFA to register players for the competition.

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