The Brazil women’s national football team faces Argentina on Saturday at 16:30 Brasília time (19:30 UTC) at Estádio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, playing its first-ever match in the Rio Grande do Sul capital without four suspended players and with 74% of its roster for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup already defined.
As UOL reported, head coach Arthur Elias and players Bia Zaneratto, Tarciane, and Kerolin will serve suspensions stemming from red cards issued during a volatile match against the United States in June. A fifth player who was sent off in that fixture, Ludmila, was omitted entirely from the squad for the current friendlies against Argentina, prompting assistant coach Rodrigo Iglesias to lead the team from the touchline.
Suspensions Shape a Expanded 28-Player Squad for Porto Alegre
The enforced absences compelled the coaching staff to broaden the national team selection, resulting in a 28-player call-up designed to evaluate fringe talent. Among those added are Clarinha, Kaylane, and Thaís Lima, who represented Brazil at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in September. Bahia goalkeeper Yanne also received her first senior national team call-up.
The fixture marks a milestone for the women’s national program in southern Brazil. According to GZH, Porto Alegre will host seven matches during the 2027 World Cup—six in the group stage and one in the Round of 16—though the Brazilian team itself will not play its group fixtures at the Beira-Rio. Elias’s squad is instead assigned to the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro for the June 24 tournament opener, the Arena de São Paulo on June 29, and the Estadio Mané Garrincha in Brasília on July 4, with group assignments to be finalized in December’s draw.
Search for Successors to Marta as the World Cup Nears
With South America preparing to host its first Women’s World Cup in 2027, the team is also navigating a generational transition. As Folha de S.Paulo noted, 40-year-old Marta Vieira da Silva remains part of the long-term planning after featuring in last year’s Copa América title run in Ecuador, where she averaged 49 minutes per match. However, the coaching staff is actively integrating successors.
Kerolin, recently signed by Barcelona, is viewed as a primary candidate to assume leadership and potentially inherit the iconic number 10 shirt. “She has everything to be one of the best players in the world,” Arthur Elias told Folha de S.Paulo regarding the 26-year-old forward, who scored her first Champions League goal for the Catalan club in late September against Paris FC. Because of her suspension, Kerolin will be available for only one of the two matches against Argentina.
Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) women’s national teams coordinator Cris Gambaré emphasized the depth emerging within the talent pool. “Today we have several Martas,” Gambaré told Folha de S.Paulo, pointing to young forwards Luany of Atlético de Madrid and Priscila of América de México alongside 17-year-old Flamengo midfielder Kaylane.
Healthier Locker Room Dynamics and Personal Resilience
Speaking at a press conference at Sesc Protásio Alves in Porto Alegre reported by Farol da Bahia, forwards Geyse and Priscila addressed the intense competition for attacking berths. Priscila, a former Internacional player returning to her professional roots after recovering from an injury, highlighted the emotional significance of playing at the Beira-Rio.
“Returning with the national team and doing it in Porto Alegre, a place where I started my football and took my first steps, is very special,” Priscila said, according to Farol da Bahia. Geyse added that squad harmony underpins their competitive goals, noting that psychological support and family backing helped her return to top form following a personal bereavement last year.
Following the two-match series against Argentina, Brazil will conclude its 2026 international calendar with friendlies against Japan on November 29 in Hiroshima and December 5 in Okayama.
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