Women's Cup 2027: Brazil to play in Rio, São Paulo and Brasília

Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Brasília will host Brazil’s matches in the group stage of the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The Brazilian National Team will make its debut at the Maracanã in the opening match on June 24, play its second game on June 29 at Neo Química Arena, and finish the first stage on July 4 at Arena Mané Garrincha.

FIFA announced the competition schedule this Thursday (20). The tournament will be held in Brazil between June 24 and July 25 next year. As the host nation is the top seed in Group A, the release of the schedule revealed the path of the Canarinha in the group stage and its possible routes in the tournament.

If it advances in first place in the group, Brazil will play in Fortaleza on July 10; if it finishes second, it will go to Belo Horizonte on July 11 to play in the round of 16.

In total, eight state capitals will host the tournament’s 64 matches. In addition to Rio, São Paulo, and Brasília, the list of host cities also includes São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Salvador, Recife, and Fortaleza.

Before the schedule announcement, FIFA president Gianni Infantino highlighted the passion of Brazilian fans. “We can hardly wait to deliver the 2027 World Cup, bringing together the best players in the world with coaches, fans, and communities.”

Jill Ellis, FIFA’s Director of Football and a two-time world champion, spoke about her experience in France in 2019 and her expectations for next year: “I was in Brazil experiencing the Brazilian fans and South America, the noise of one of the most passionate fan bases in the world, so it will be incredible. I’m sure they will raise the bar.”

Aline Pellegrino, Executive Director of Legacy and Institutional Relations for the 2027 FIFA World Cup and manager of Women’s Competitions at the CBF, acknowledged that hosting a Women’s World Cup in Brazil is a milestone. “I hope this World Cup will be a turning point for women’s football throughout South America. We have no doubt that this World Cup will be epic,” she said.

The last time the Women’s National Team played at the Maracanã was 10 years ago, on August 16, 2016, in the semifinals of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Brazil drew 0-0 with Sweden in regular time and ended up losing on penalties.

Nine years earlier, on July 26, 2007, the iconic stadium hosted another historic match for the Canarinha. The Pan American Games final crowned Brazil champion with a 5-0 rout of the United States.

Both matches drew the biggest crowds for women’s football in the country: the Olympic semifinal had 70,454 spectators, breaking the previous record set by the Pan American final, which had 67,788 fans.

Neo Química Arena, meanwhile, has a more recent history with the Canarinha: a friendly in June this year that ended with a Brazilian comeback against the Americans. Over the last 10 years, the stadium has hosted seven matches for the Women’s National Team, with six wins and only one loss.

Women’s National Team record at Neo Química Arena

Friendlies

2026 - Brazil 2 x 1 United States

2025 - Brazil 3 x 1 Japan

2023 - Brazil 4 x 3 Japan

2022 - Brazil 2 x 1 Canada

2020 - Brazil 6 x 0 Ecuador

2019 - Brazil 6 x 0 Mexico

Olympic Games

2016 - Brazil 1 x 2 Canada (bronze medal match)

Since Arena Mané Garrincha was reopened for the 2014 Men’s World Cup, the Women’s National Team has played nine times in the federal capital without losing. There have been two draws and seven wins.

In December 2013, Brasília hosted the International Tournament, which brought together Brazil, Chile, Scotland, and Canada. A year later, the national team won the title again, this time against Argentina, China, and the United States. The last match at Mané was the friendly against Chile on the eve of the 2023 World Cup, which Brazil won 4-0.

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