Rio de Janeiro rolls out free sports programs for National Sport Week

Rio's Olympic Villages are offering a slate of free activities to mark the first National Sport Week, created by Law No. 15.386 and celebrated annually on June 23. Events include gymnastics, functional training, stretching, jiu‑jitsu, ballroom dancing, a football talent tournament and a senior‑inclusion session. Sports secretary Bruno Ramos said, “No Rio, nossa missão é estimular os esportes durante todos os meses, 365 dias por ano.”

At the same time, the Rio de Janeiro Youth Symphony Orchestra performed at Theatro Municipal, honoring the women who built Brazilian women’s football. The concert, supported by UNESCO and local partners, opened with a video on femicide and highlighted the upcoming 2027 Women’s World Cup. Director Fiorella Solares noted, “a maior semelhança que os músicos têm com o esporte é que ambas as profissões demandam muito do indivíduo.” Christ the Redeemer was illuminated for the occasion.