Rio wants to become the capital of women’s football through a project for girls in the city’s Olympic Villages

The idea was born from a meeting between Duda and the municipal sports secretary, Guilherme Schleder, who was already planning structural measures with an eye on the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

-We think about women’s football in the long term all the time. Duda came to us through a friend, and from there we built something inspired by other models, but specifically for girls – says Schleder.

The project includes training three times a week, for an hour and a half, divided into two categories (under 12 and under 16, but flexible to include other similar ages). The focus is on the social, educational and training aspects – far from the pressure of uncovering talent, but changing the lives of many people.

– The goal is not to train great athletes, but to give many girls the opportunity to play football, something they still lack – highlights Duda, who has worked for almost 40 years in the development of women’s football in clubs, national teams and social projects.

According to her, the biggest need is simple: providing space for girls to play.

—They have a few exclusive locations. The environments are very mixed, especially at the stage of development, says Duda, who coordinates similar projects in other cities.

Mini World Cup and Pioneers

The calendar will include special events throughout the year, such as mini-World Cup finals, in which each group will represent a country, internal tournaments with medals and family participation. The emotional impact is just as important as the sporting impact.

The other new thing is the presence of women’s football pioneers, historic women’s football players, especially from Rio. Each Olympic Village will have at least one godmother, who will be responsible for monitoring the training, narrating its course and helping to preserve the memory of the sport. Fanta and Marisa are some of them.

The program will also provide lectures on nutrition, psychology, physical education, and dialogue sessions with family members.

– We want to cover everything globally, save the history of sports and boost these girls’ self-esteem – explains Duda.

Participants will receive uniforms, snacks and qualified support. According to Duda, similar projects have already changed the routine of nearly a thousand girls in the past year alone.

Football may not be an end, but it is a means. Duda says they feel empowered and happy and find sports a tool.

Schleder recalls that some Olympic villages actually had entire classes for women even without publicity.

-There is a natural demand. We want to promote. As with the Zico Cup – which was only for men for six years, and this year held its first edition for women – Rio needs to mix, attract and create teams. Women’s football is not yet the sport that girls are looking for the most, but it might be. We need to encourage them – explains the Minister, who plans to turn the program into a permanent policy.

With the 2027 Women’s World Cup approaching, the city, which is seeking to host the opening and final of the competition at the Maracanã, wants to tap into national mobilization to train new fans and inspire future generations.