South American women's footballers latest to fight for Olympic dream

While the CONCACAF W Championship reaches its conclusion, south of the Darién Gap the women's footballers are also pursuing their Olympic dream.

The 2022 Copa América Feminina is being held in Colombia, with all ten South American countries entering: no need for qualification here. They have been split into groups of five. In Group A; Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia and Ecuador do battle, while in Group B it is Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Peru.

Group A will predominantly be played in Cali's Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, home of three football clubs from Colombia's top two tiers of men's football, while Group B will take place mostly in Estadio Centenario in the city of Armenia, home of second-tier Deportes Quindío, champions of Colombia back in 1956. The only exception is the final day, as two games will take place simultaneously, thus using both stadiums.

The top two teams in each group will reach the semi-finals, while there will also be a fifth-placed play-off between the two countries in third in their respective groups. The third-placed play-off and the fifth-placed play-off will take place in the Estadio Centenario, but the semi-finals and final will take place in Estadio Alfonso López in Bucaramanga, home of top-tier Atlético Bucaramanga. There is some real talent on display with Brazil heavy favourites, and even without qualification spots for the Olympics, World Cup, and Pan American Games, this competition means a lot: the winner has the right to call themselves champions of South America.

The qualification process is simple for the Olympics: the two finalists will be in Paris, and the other eight countries won't be. In terms of the Women's World Cup, the top three countries will qualify a place, while those in fourth and fifth will qualify for the inter-continental play-offs next year in New Zealand. Finally, the top three teams other than automatic qualifiers Chile, who are hosting, will qualify for the Pan American Games.

With the tournament underway we won't have to wait long to find out who will carry South American hopes into the women's football tournament at Paris 2024.

Patrick Green

Writer, Totallympics News