Copa America final can't hide challenges
The Women's Copa America in Ecuador ended with a thrilling final as Brazil edged Colombia in an eight-goal spectacle to win their ninth title but logistical challenges and half-empty stadiums showed the hurdles that face South American women's football.
Colombia pushed Brazil to the brink in a decider capped by a Marta masterclass as her side won 5-4 in a shootout after a roller-coaster final in Quito had finished 4-4, delivering a level of play organisers hoped to see when the tournament began.
The decider at the Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado saw Colombia take the lead three times, only for Brazil to respond on each occasion.
Brazil great Marta forced extra time with a late equaliser and the veteran struck again in the 105th minute to seemingly seal victory.
But a resilient Colombia found the equaliser to send the encounter to penalties, where Brazil's experience ultimately prevailed.
"Women's football has been growing a lot," Brazil's Amanda Gutierres said. "The trend is for it to be more competitive.
"Everyone here deserved a match like this. Congratulations to Colombia too.
"This means a lot. I think it's Brazil's job. It's that mentality of never giving up. That's a source of pride for Brazil. I think it means a lot to Brazilians."
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez said ahead of the opener: "We are confident that the Copa America in Ecuador will confirm the growth and expansion that South American women's football is currently experiencing." However, the event faced criticism over facilities from the start when Brazil complained after teams were forced to warm up in cramped indoor spaces, while Chile forward Yanara Aedo called the lack of VAR in the early rounds "disrespectful".
High interest, low turnout
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 pleased that 23,798 fans turned out at the 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 said 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 semi-final 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 on 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 viewers.
FOX Sports said on Tuesday that 302,000 tuned in to watch the final — up 273 per cent from 2022 - making it their most-watched Women's Copa America broadcast. Overall viewership averaged 79,000, a 114 per cent jump across the network's two channels.
Looking ahead
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 at 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 will South America's governing body invest in promotion, infrastructure and planning to match Europe's record-breaking Women's Euros, which had their highest-ever attendances this year, while its own stadiums were half empty.
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