CBF authorizes mixed competitions, between men and women, in Brazil

A Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) this Wednesday, International Women’s Day, regulated mixed teams in amateur Brazilian football tournaments. The decision authorizes teams to be made up of men and women and women’s teams to participate in men’s tournaments, at the discretion of organizers and federations.

“With this change, we intend to democratize and spread the practice of football by athletes, removing barriers to the emergence and development of new talents. national competitions from the sub-17 category. The top of the pyramid is relatively well structured, but based on a fragile base”, said the entity’s president, Ednaldo Rodrigues.

The representative also evaluated the measure as fundamental to correct problems in the training of female athletes in Brazil. For him, the action will encourage the participation of young women in soccer.

“It is important to highlight that mixed football works with massification and inclusion. 14. I firmly believe that regulating mixed football will help to correct this problem by encouraging the participation of thousands of players in mixed teams and competitions. Over time, the increase in the number of registered athletes could also lead to the creation of teams and competitions exclusively women in the younger categories”, explained Ednaldo.

The decision, however, will not affect women’s teams and women-only tournaments. Another change concerns the “Mixed Football Age Dispensation Mechanism”, which defines that under-17 players, for example, can participate in men’s under-13 tournaments.

Also commenting on the news was coach Pia Sundhage, commander of the Brazilian women’s team. The Swede recalled her training as an athlete to show support for the novelty.

“I was lucky because when I was a kid, I played football with boys. This has nothing to do with boys or girls, it has to do with football. If we manage to create spaces where the sport is played, it doesn’t matter if it’s a girl or a boy. It’s a great opportunity for all of us who play football,” said the Swede.