Queens of Cups is our third exhibition dedicated entirely to women's football. First, we pored over our collection on display and observed, with some shock, how big the gap was: among the more than 1,500 images on display, there were almost no female players. Our first mission, in 2015, was to make them visible in our main exhibition and to consistently include the sport in our cultural and educational programming.
In 2019, COUNTER ATTACK! As Mulheres do Futebol (The Football Women) shed light on the years when women's football was banned in Brazil (1941-1979), highlighting the stories of resistance, rebelliousness and resilience of women who fought for the right to play. Held in the context of the World Cup in France, this exhibition was a milestone in our history and joined a global movement for greater appreciation of women's football in the world. With great joy, we saw more female visitors attending the museum and understanding that this space belongs to them.
In the coming months of July and August, the ninth edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand. With Queens of Cups, we now want to pay tribute to all the athletes and professionals who have been building the history of the world's greatest women's football competition. We want each visit to be inspired by the trajectory of these players, referees, coaches, journalists and fans who make the women's games a worldwide celebration, without ever leaving aside the claim for equity.
This exhibition reaffirms the Football Museum's commitment to social development in our country — development that involves gender equality, on and off the pitch.
Enjoy your visit!
Football Museum
In 1921, in São Paulo, A Gazeta reported on an international women's football match between English and French women:
“The English women played like real men.”
and
“The game developed by representatives of the weaker sex was strong, very strong.”
In the decades that followed, there was no shortage of clashes between players from different countries. Europe was notably a privileged place in the exchange among athletes.
In 1970, with the profusion of teams in several countries, the organization of what was intended to be the Women's Football World Cup emerged in Italy. Organized by the newly created International and European Federation of Women's Football (FIEFF), it was a friendly and festive tournament to make the sport visible to the world.
The success of audience was so great that, 1 year later, with six teams, Mexico hosted the 2nd edition of the tournament in the same stadiums as the Men's Cup!
In later years, Brazilians and players from different countries faced each other in Mundialitos – intercontinental and unofficial women's soccer tournaments.
The fact is: International women's football championships have been held for over a century! However, it took 61 years between the 1st edition of the Men's World Cup, in 1930, and the 1st edition of the Women's World Cup, in 1991, for national and international football entities to make women the protagonists of this spectacle.
This exhibition narrates the trajectories surrounding the FIFA Women's World Cups, which began in 1991 in China. But as this is a museum of stories, go through the tunnel and get to know the backstage that preceded the start of the biggest sporting event in the modality and, afterwards, take a trip through all the editions.
Have a nice trip!
Aira Bonfim, Juliana Cabra, Lu Castro and Silvana Goellner
Less than 50 years ago, women's football was prohibited by law in
Brazil. It was only in 1983 that the modality was regularized and our
players were finally able to develop the modality.
Years of banning limited the potential of countless players and
many gave up on their dream of playing football professionally.
Together, the athletes of the past broke down barriers and paved
the way for today's girls and women to achieve
their dream of shining on the field.
It is not new that Bmg bank believes, and a lot, in
women's football. We support the Corinthians, Vasco and
Atlético Mineiro women's teams, in addition to sponsoring Nossa Arena, a space
dedicated exclusively to women's sports in São
Paulo. When you think of women's football, you also think of BMG.
Our mission is to continue breaking down the barriers of women's football,
making the sport reach further and further. Encouraging the countless Martas, Milenes, Formigas and Marias spread
across Brazil.
Bmg Bank is honored to be the sponsor of this exhibition,
which is so important for women's football. We invite you to break
this barrier with us for the benefit of the modality.
We hope that you, like us, will be enchanted and support
women's football even more after hearing the
stories of the 'Queens of Cups'.
Enjoy the visit!
Bmg Bank.
The bank without barriers.