Pitches imperfect and bus blues- player fury at 17-day Libertadores Femenina

A congested schedule, last-minute venue changes, and empty stands have overshadowed what is intended to be the highlight of South American women’s club football. The 2024 Copa Libertadores Femenina concluded with a mix of triumph and frustration on Saturday. Corinthians emerged undefeated, clinching their fifth title at the Estádio Defensores del Chaco in Paraguay with a 2-0 victory over Colombia’s Santa Fe in an exciting final.

As stars Vic Albuquerque and Érika secured the decisive goals, the jubilant players also took to their social media platforms to voice their concerns about the tournament’s conditions. “We won, but not everything is a party,” they stated. “Last-minute venue changes, lack of publicity, poor pitches, risk of injury, having only 20 players, games every three days, empty stadiums, no warm-ups allowed on the pitch, inadequate infrastructure … it is disrespectful.”

In men’s football, the Libertadores is celebrated as the crowning achievement of South American football, characterized by sold-out stadiums and passionate fans. In contrast, the women’s tournament struggled to attract crowds this year, as it was limited to a single country over a 17-day span. This format ultimately discouraged fan attendance, leading to numerous empty seats. The difficulties began when Conmebol announced just 36 days before the tournament’s start that it would relocate from Uruguay to Paraguay. To complicate matters, tickets were only available for purchase the day before the opening match.

Four stadiums were used for the tournament: Estádio Arsenio Erico and Defensores del Chaco in Asunción, Estádio Carfem in Ypané, and Estádio Conmebol in Luque. The Carfem and Arsenio Erico stadiums were set to host 14 matches in a mere 10 days. However, heavy rainfall during the group stage led to lengthy delays for several matches, and the quarter-final between Corinthians and Olimpia had to be moved to Ypané on short notice, with little improvement in conditions.

“It is unacceptable to play football on a pitch like this,” remarked Corinthians midfielder Gabi Zanotti after their match. “We value this competition immensely; we won the Brazilian championship to qualify for this tournament, yet the organization fails to treat it with the respect it deserves.”

Throughout the tournament, players raised concerns about the poor pitch conditions and inadequate transportation, criticizing the tournament’s overall structure. Though there have been some advancements, including an increase in prize money—totaling $3.6 million this year compared to a mere $285,000 in 2019—the tournament still struggles to capture the continent’s full attention. Viewership did see a rise, with over five million tuning into the 2023 final, but there’s much more progress to be made.

Coaches and players also voiced frustration with the rule restricting teams to only 20 registered players. When goalkeeper Lelê was suspended before the semi-final, Corinthians had just one substitute available, presenting a precarious situation in the event of an injury to backup Nicole.

“I’m saddened by how little care Conmebol gives to its own tournament,” said Corinthians manager Lucas Piccinato in an interview with Brazilian news outlet UOL after the final. “The format doesn’t meet the needs of women’s football. The scheduling is exhausting, with too many games in a short timeframe, depriving us of the large audiences that the men’s tournament enjoys with its two-legged format.”

The issues extended beyond the fields. Zanotti shared videos on social media showing the poor state of transportation for the quarter-finals, highlighting that the air conditioning was malfunctioning despite Asunción’s nearly 30°C temperatures. The videos depicted broken seats and uncomfortable conditions for the players. “Libertadores – the continent’s main club competition,” she lamented.

The Libertadores Femenina has taken place 16 times, yet players argue that significant improvements are needed to elevate it to a respected tournament. As South America gears up to host its first women’s World Cup in 2027, Conmebol must address the players’ concerns earnestly to prevent a repeat of these issues in the future.