FPF director hopeful for women’s Copinha, expansion in time | OneFootball

The third edition of the Women's Copinha saw the five groups of the first phase determined in a draw held last Tuesday by the São Paulo Football Federation (FPF) at the Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu in São Paulo (SP). Kin Saito, the executive director of women's football at the organization, shared her expectations for the competition.

The Women's Copinha will begin on the upcoming December 3rd (Wednesday). The grand final is already scheduled for December 20th (Saturday) at the Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu. The decision will feature the VAR tool.

“As you manage to impact the five regions, it is also an opportunity for each club to learn a bit more about the different lines of action. I hope to see more technical balance, I think that is also a measure of evolution. Each club here is very committed to developing youth categories. It is no coincidence they are here representing their states. I hope to see many goals, because in this edition we have this commitment that for each goal, a tree will be planted in São Paulo. But above all, I hope to see balance and a lot of competitiveness,” projected Saito in an interview with Gazeta Esportiva.

The Women's Copinha had its first edition back in 2023 with only 16 teams. In the following season, the competition added four more participants, reaching 20 – a number that has been maintained this year. The teams were divided into five groups, with four clubs each.

Despite the rapid growth of the competition in the women's football scene, Kin Saito believes it is necessary to keep our feet on the ground. The executive director commented that the FPF “looks fondly” at expanding the number of participating clubs in the future, but is currently focused on improving the current tournament.

“We look very fondly at this idea, but we understand that growth is not just about quantity. Obviously, we aim for that future, but we want to increasingly make the Copinha well-rounded, so that this growth is also natural and non-negotiable. We will know the right moment to say ‘the time has come,’” stated Saito.

FPF Contacts Regarding the World Cup in Brazil

In 2027, Brazil will host the Women's World Cup for the first time in history. São Paulo will be one of the capitals hosting World Cup matches. The Neo Química Arena, the Corinthians stadium, was chosen by FIFA to host the games in the city.

A crucial part of women's football at the FPF, Kin Saito explained that the federation is in constant contact and discusses details with the other entities involved in organizing the World Cup, such as the CBF, FIFA, and also Conmebol.

“In the football world, contacts are constant. Beyond the figure of the CBF, there are also exchanges with Conmebol, FIFA, the State Government, the city hall, and everyone in the industry who contributes to the realization of the World Cup. [It is very good] to see the city of São Paulo as a home, being part of this women's football movement. We can say that we are always in contact all the time,” explained the director.

TV Gazeta to Broadcast Women's Copinha

Women's football is gaining more and more visibility. The broadcasting lineup for the Women's Copinha has gained a new member: TV Gazeta. The station will broadcast 10 matches of the youth competition live. Kin Saito celebrated the increased visibility of the tournament on open television.

“First you invest, then you gain visibility, and then you reap the returns. When we see this movement of Gazeta, our partner, broadcasting the Women's Copinha, it means more people in Brazil will be impacted by women's and youth football. Whoever turns on the TV and watches a game might forever change how they view women's football or perceive this movement. Visibility, for me, is always an extremely positive measure of what we already are and what we will become,” said the FPF's executive director of women's football.

TV Gazeta is reclaiming its space in football game broadcasts. Last Sunday, the station broadcasted live the first game of the Copa Paulista final between Primavera and XV de Piracicaba. The grand finale, at the Barão de Serra Negra Stadium, will be aired this Saturday, with pre-game coverage starting at 5 PM (Brasília time).

Women's Copinha 2025

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.