Brazil to pay R$500,000 to 1988 women's football pioneers

A draft law (Projeto de Lei 1315/2026) that will become the General Law of the 2027 World Cup in Brazil sets a payment of R$500,000 for each player from the pioneering generations of the Brazilian women's national team in 1988 and 1991. The measure mirrors the 2014 recognition given to former men's World Cup champions.

Former midfielder Márcia Honório da Silva, known as Marcinha, who played in the first women's national squad that finished third at the 1988 experimental FIFA tournament in China, said the payment "rescues a dignity that was denied for decades". Her former teammate Rosilane Camargo Motta, nicknamed Fanta, also welcomed the move, describing it as a legacy for the new generation. Both now coach youth futsal teams, with Marcinha training children in Caieiras (SP) and Fanta teaching girls in Rio de Janeiro.

The legislation also acknowledges the historic ban on women’s football in Brazil from 1941 to 1979 under Decree‑Law 3199. Advocates view the compensation as both financial support and formal recognition of the pioneers' contribution to the sport.