With the 2027 World Cup in sight, CBF outlines women’s football in Brazil

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CBF

·16 luglio 2026

With the 2027 World Cup in sight, CBF outlines women’s football in Brazil

Women’s football has been on the rise in Brazil, with a national competition calendar featuring more matches, dates, and participating clubs, as well as higher participation fees and prize money. With one year to go until the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in the country from June 24 to July 25, the sport is expected to gain even more visibility.

In five years, from 2021 to 2026, the number of women’s competitions increased from six to nine (a 50% rise); the number of clubs competing in senior or youth tournaments went from 58 to 79 (36%); and the number of matches from 398 to 712 (79%).

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Looking only at the past year, five new teams began competing at youth level. The main progress, however, was in the number of matches, with increases in games in Brasileirão A1 (25%), A2 (91%) and A3 (62%), as well as in the Copa do Brasil (12.5%).

To promote greater visibility for the matches, the CBF also took over, through CBF TV, the broadcast of 100% of the games in the Women’s Copa do Brasil and the Brasileirão A1, Under-20 and Under-17, as well as the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals of Brasileirão A2 and A3.

Growth in numbers

2021

6 competitions: Brasileirão A1, Brasileirão A2, Brasileirão Under-18, Brasileirão Under-16, Under-16 League, and Under-14 League

No. of clubs: 58, with 52 clubs in senior competitions

Matches: 398

2025

9 competitions: Brasileirão A1, Brasileirão A2, Brasileirão A3, Women’s Super Cup, Copa do Brasil, Brasileirão Under-20, Brasileirão Under-17, Under-16 League, and Under-14 League

No. of clubs: 74, with 65 in senior competitions

Matches: 563

2026

9 competitions: Brasileirão A1, Brasileirão A2, Brasileirão A3, Women’s Super Cup, Copa do Brasil, Brasileirão Under-20, Brasileirão Under-17, Under-16 League, and Under-14 League

No. of clubs: 79, with 66 in senior competitions

Matches: 712 (a 26.4% increase compared to 2025)

The Women’s Copa do Brasil returned to the national competition calendar after 8 yearsCredits: Staff Images/CBF

Talent development

CBF Women’s Competitions Manager Aline Pellegrino explains that the more competitions there are across different categories, the greater the ability to develop talent, raise the competitive level, and prepare athletes for high performance.

“When we expand the calendar, we give athletes what they need most to develop: playing time. More minutes on the field mean more experience, greater technical improvement, and more consistent preparation,” she explains.

At the same time, clubs are in a better position to plan the entire season, from preseason to integration between national competitions and state championships. This brings more predictability, encourages investment, and strengthens team structures.

The divisions of the Brazilian Championship reflect the growth of women’s football. Established in 2013, the tournament expanded to include A2 in 2017 and A3 in 2022. The Copa do Brasil, created in 2007, left the calendar in 2017 and returned last year with a technical qualification criterion that brings together clubs from Series A1, A2, and A3.

“The CBF’s decision shows a real commitment to the development of women’s football in every region of Brazil. More than reviving a traditional competition, it is an important step in consolidating the sport, as it expands opportunities and values the work being done in the state championships,” Aline Pellegrino emphasizes.

History of women’s competitions in BrazilCredits: Talita Rodrigues/CBF

Amounts and 2025/2026 comparison by competition

In November, the CBF released its 2026 plan, covering not only the calendar but also a considerable increase in participation fees and prize money.

Super Cup: R$ 1 million for the champion (a 43% increase) and R$ 600,000 for the runner-up (20%)

A1: the participation fee for the 18 clubs in the first phase rose to R$ 720,000 (double the previous year); prize money of R$ 2 million for the champion and R$ 1 million for the runner-up

A2: the participation fee for the 16 clubs in the first phase rose to R$ 360,000 (a 2.4-fold increase)

A3: the participation fee for the 32 clubs in the first phase rose to R$ 120,000 (3.3 times higher)

Copa do Brasil: participation fees for all stages doubled

Under-20 and Under-17: participation fees for all stages were adjusted upward by 10%.

Strategy for youth development and integration of state and national competitions

Since 2024, the CBF has been working with the strategy of State Women’s Youth Tournaments to develop female players in the country by transferring funds to the 27 federations to stage Under-15 and Under-17 competitions. This year, the program was also expanded to include the Under-20 category, strengthening the transition to high performance and broadening the competitive calendar.

The success of the initiative led to a significant technical change: starting with the 2026 season, the CBF Competitions Directorate will adopt, as a participation criterion for the Women’s Brasileirão Under-17 and Under-20, the allocation of 16 spots to the state champions of each category among the 16 federations best placed in the Women’s Football National Federation Ranking. As a result, clubs from all regions have real opportunities to access national youth competitions, encouraging the development of new talent in women’s football.

Aline Pellegrino presents data and criteria for women’s competitions to the Youth Development Working GroupCredits: Luciana Vermell/CBF

Long-term planning: 2024–2029 cycle

Between 2024 and 2029, the CBF projects an investment of more than R$ 685 million in women’s football competitions in Brazil, with 41% growth in dates on the national calendar and 84% growth in matches organized by the entity. The CBF Women’s Competitions Manager stresses that, for the actions to be successfully carried out, it is essential that federations and clubs also have planning, investment, and commitment to women’s football.

International scenario

Brazil’s women’s football calendar is aligned with international competitions, supporting and helping drive the success of the women’s national teams: