2023 is the year to support women’s football in Colombia, says Dimayor president Fernando Jaramillo. “It is imperative that we break this vicious circle of lack of presence, low attendance at stadiums and the private sector’s commitment to women’s football,” he said. The first step will be to define the calendar for the women’s league for the first semester, played between January and June or between February and September. So far there are 17 confirmed teams. “A more consistent pro league is coming. We already have interested sponsors and want to aim for a slightly longer league,” added Jaramillo.
The league that the president Gustav Petro and his Minister of Sport María Isabel Urrutia have promised to defend, it will be crucial in preparing the players for the World Cup, which will take place from July 20th to August 20th. In addition, between October 5th and 21st, Colombia will host the 2023 Women’s Copa Libertadores, the most important tournament in South America. the conmebol announced a 68% increase in the payments attendees will receive in this edition. The upcoming sporting events present a new opportunity for the country to wear the women’s football jersey, which will continue to make history with the greatest will of its leaders.
So far, women’s football has drawn fleeting support and emotion. In 2022, the women bestowed on the country the joy captured as a frustrated goal scream after the men’s side were eliminated from the World Cup in Qatar in March. The positive results on the pitches come courtesy of the footballers, who secured a place at the Australia-New Zealand World Cup and Paris 2024 Olympics this year by beating Brazil in July as the Copa America runners-up. Without sufficient support from the sport’s leadership, they also achieved second place in the South American U20 and U17 tournaments, qualifying for the first time in a World Championship final in any category, including men’s.
The youngest were the authors of the sporting feat that brought millions of people together in front of the TV screens that Wednesday, October 26th. Given the passion of the game, which was played against Nigeria in the state of Goa in western India, there were school teachers who gave up their classes to broadcast the game. Fascinated by the talent of players like Linda Caicedo, the league’s all-time leading scorer, the students were more focused than usual. The Colombians beat the Africans 5-6 on penalties. Goalkeeper Luisa Agudelo, just under 15, saved a shot from one of the rivals to seal the win, prompting cheers and hugs. The fans showed that the collective euphoria in the stadiums does not differentiate between genders.
Four days later, the U17s met Spain in the World Cup final in the city of Navi Mumbai, with national support remaining strong over 15,000km away. The game ended 1-0 in favor of the European team, who retained the championship title. Colombia may not have lifted the trophy, but they did confirm their greatest triumph, capping a glorious year for women’s football which, without further delay, could mark the beginning of a new chapter in its history.
Colombian soccer players, like other countries, particularly in Latin America, have had a career of unequal treatment, lack of adequate salaries, low economic recognition – well below that of men’s teams – and an unstable league. These realities prompted the team to raise their fists in protest in their Copa America debut against Paraguay as they played the national anthem. The ‘superpowers’ carved their way by hand, while those in charge at the Colombian Football Federation were indifferent to the conditions but eager for praise. The opportunism has cost its President Ramón Jesurun a lot of criticism.
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