Brazil clinched their ninth Women’s Copa America crown in Ecuador after surviving a dramatic 4-4 draw and edging Colombia 5-4 on penalties in a pulsating final capped by a vintage Marta performance.
But while the football delivered fireworks, off-field flaws exposed the uphill climb still facing the women’s game in South America.
Colombia nearly toppled the continent’s queens in Quito, pushing Brazil to the brink in a chaotic showdown that delivered on CONMEBOL’s promise of growth. "We are confident that the Copa America in Ecuador will confirm the growth and expansion that South American women's football is currently experiencing,” CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez said before kickoff.
But from day one, the tournament drew criticism. Brazil voiced concerns about cramped indoor warm-up areas, while Chile’s Yanara Aedo called the absence of VAR in early rounds “disrespectful.” Half-empty stadiums throughout the competition only deepened concerns about the infrastructure and investment lagging behind the rising quality on the pitch.
Widely praised as the best final in the tournament's history, the match drew the highest attendance of the 2025 edition, with the Ecuadorian Football Federation reporting that 23,798 fans turned out at Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado.
Still, that number fell short of filling the 41,575-seat venue, with ESPN reporting that the tournament's average attendance stood at 962 per match before the final.
Media reports also noted that many locals and international visitors were unaware the Women’s Copa America was even taking place.
Following Colombia's penalty shootout win over Argentina in the semifinal at the same venue, responses gathered by CNN pointed not to a lack of interest or ticket accessibility – with prices starting at $5 – but a broader failure in promotion.
Tickets only went on sale July 4, eight days before the opening match, underlining how late planning hurt visibility.
"It's a shame that the tournament has been played here in Ecuador and we don't know about it and the stadiums are empty," a local mother who attended the match with her son told CNN.
Reuters has contacted CONMEBOL for comment.
The gap between on-field quality and local engagement was also highlighted by the increase in international viewership.
Fox Sports said Tuesday that 302,000 viewers tuned in to watch the final – up 273% from 2022 – making it their most-watched Women’s Copa America broadcast. Overall viewership averaged 79,000, a 114% increase across the network’s two channels.
The first CONMEBOL Women’s Nations League kicks off in October, serving as South America's path to the 2027 World Cup. But beyond qualification, the tournament offers a fresh chance to address the off-field issues that plagued the Women’s Copa America.
With players already performing at a world-class level, CONMEBOL has the audience and the talent to showcase.
The question is whether South America’s governing body will invest in promotion, infrastructure and planning to match Europe’s record-breaking Women’s Euros, which drew their highest-ever attendances this year, while South America's stadiums were half empty.
