It’s been a rough ride so far for the 2025 Copa América Femenina. It has become a subject of scrutiny for many reasons, including how the UEFA Women’s Euros are happening at the same time, and fans are hoping for big plays by the teams and whatnot. The tournament got underway on July 11 and is scheduled to run until August 2. But instead of making headlines for standout performances, this 10th edition has been grabbing attention for mismanagement, questionable refereeing, and low attendances. Things behind the scenes haven’t gone smoothly. 

It’s gotten so frustrating that even Marta, one of the sport’s biggest icons, felt the need to speak up on what really happened in the CONMEBOL tournament. So, the Brazilian legend Marta showed the real picture to the world when the tournament did not allow players to practice on the field. They were instead instructed to do their workouts in an indoor facility. This triggered Marta to Fume at the Copa America. 

As a result, the organizers have made an urgent decision to allow players to do drills and practice on the field for 15 minutes. The social media handle, ‘@attackingthird’ reported that “Marta and teammates called out Copa América Femenina for forcing indoor warm-ups in confined rooms, a policy originally meant to protect the pitch. CONMEBOL announced that goalkeepers and outfield players will now get 15 minutes on the pitch to warm up. “

Previously, in an interview with Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte, the Orlando Pride striker said, “It’s been a long time since I played in a tournament here in South America, and we were saddened by these circumstances.” She also added, “Athletes are expected to perform well and work hard, but we also have to demand a high level of organisation. There wasn’t enough space for both teams, but both wanted to prepare. I really don’t understand why we can’t warm up on the pitch.” This invited heavy backlash from soccer fans and experts. 

CONMEBOL received major criticism

Marta revealed the practice of mismanagement and unsportsmanlike treatment. But she wasn’t the only one who took a job at CONMEBOL and its president. Arthur Elias, coach of the Brazil Women’s Soccer team, also slammed the organizers. “We shouldn’t have to demand that those responsible for football do their job, just as the players do on the pitch and I do as a coach,” said Elias. He talked about how practice on the field is important. Warm-up and drills in real simulation keep players on track with training. According to experts, it could take longer for a team or player to settle onto the grass without on-field warm-ups. 

Having a pure understanding of this, midfielder Ary Borges also fumed at the president of CONMEBOL. She highlighted the inequality of treatment between men’s and women’s soccer players. Borges said,  “Even amateur matches are better organised than what we have here. Ask Alejandro if he could warm up in a space measuring five or 10 metres and smelling of paint.” She questioned why the women’s event faced such issues while the Men’s Copa América had top-tier infrastructure and support.

And not just bad management with the players, but the tournament doesn’t have VAR (Video Assistant Referees). It highlights the need for proper and high-quality infrastructure. Addressing these issues, Borges urged CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez to take a prompt action to make the tournament format much better. In the conclusion of her request, she stated, “This is something he needs to address, as president. I think we deserve better.”