Brazil Enacts Law Honoring Pioneering Women Footballers

On 2 June 2024 President Luiz Inácio Lula signed the Lei Geral da Copa 2027, a legal framework that sets the conditions for Brazil to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and formally recognises the women who played in the 1988 experimental tournament and the inaugural 1991 Women’s World Cup. The statute provides reparations for historic discrimination, citing the 1941 ban on women’s football and the 1983 regulation that finally allowed the sport.

The law aims to preserve the legacy of those pioneers, ensure lasting social and sporting benefits beyond the tournament, and supports Brazil’s preparations for what officials call the most significant women's football event the country has ever hosted.