Brazil start as favorites for expansion Women's Copa America

July 7 – As England beat Austria 1-0 in the Euro 2022 curtain raiser and the Concacaf Women's Championship is in full swing, the Copa America takes center stage stage on Friday when Bolivia and Ecuador kick off the South American Competition.

Brazil will enter the 9th edition of the tournament as favourites, even though they don't have injured Marta, retired Formiga and Cristiane - the first time since 1995 the Brazilians will have played without any of these three stars.

Brazil coach Pia Sundhage will see this tournament as a transition phase to get her team in shape ahead of the 2023 World Cup. They will face Peru, Venezuela, Argentina and Uruguay in Group B and could claim their 8th title. The defending champions beat Colombia 3-0 in the final of the previous Copa America. In 2006, Argentina won the competition at home.

In Group A, hosts Colombia, also 2023 World Cup contenders, will face Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. The tournament will be played in Cali, Armenia and Bucaramanga with large crowds expected in all three host cities. This is the last time the Copa America will be held on a quadrennial basis. Conmebol plans to organize the competition every two years in the future.

In April, Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez announced an increase in the competition prizes, with winners taking home $1.5 million and runners-up $500,000.

The tournament doubles as a World Cup qualifier, providing three direct sports and two play-off spots for next year's World Finals co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The two Copa America finalists will represent South America at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

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