Corinthians have six CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina titles to their name, making them unquestionably the most successful women’s club in South American football. Year after year, however, those celebrations have been tinged with a sense of frustration as, despite their success on the continent, something was still missing: the chance to test themselves on the global stage.
But that wait is almost over. The FIFA Women’s Champions Cup 2026™ will mark the first edition of FIFA’s new annual intercontinental women’s club competition with the concluding fixtures to be held in London from 28 January to 1 February. The Brazilian team will face Gotham FC of the United States in the semi-finals, with the American side featuring Brazilian forward Gabi Portilho, formerly of Corinthians. The other semi-final sees England’s Arsenal Women FC take on Morocco’s ASFAR.
“All these years, we’ve dreamt of an intercontinental tournament – it’s motivated us every single day. Now it’s finally happening. We’re over the moon. Once again, Corinthians will be able to show what we’re capable of. We’ve already become the benchmark in South America; now we want to be the global benchmark,” experienced defender Tamires said in an interview with FIFA.
“The FIFA Women’s Champions Cup represents all the work we’ve put in. Corinthians truly deserve to be in this competition – not only because of what we did in the last Libertadores, but because of everything we’ve done over the years. Now we’re reaping the rewards”, added the veteran Brazil international.
Corinthians have long been pioneers of Brazilian women’s football, but the club are also trailblazers when it comes to FIFA club competitions.
Back in 2000, the men’s team played in the inaugural edition of what was then the Club World Championship – the annual competition now known as the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ – and went on to lift the trophy. Now, Corinthians’ women – affectionately known by supporters as the Brabas, which roughly translates as ‘the fierce girls’ – are eager to repeat that feat.
“I thought the Libertadores would be the peak of my career, and I was already incredibly happy with that, but now this opportunity has come along. I can’t believe I’ll be playing in the first-ever global tournament. This will stay with us for life. I hope we can bring the trophy back and write our names into Corinthians history,” said goalkeeper Nicole Ramos.
The smiles and the relaxed manner of the two players contrast with the more serious, steely gaze of captain Gabi Zanotti. As the most decorated female player in Corinthians’ history, Zanotti quickly demonstrates how she commands the dressing room, transmitting her competitive edge to the entire squad. With such a leader wearing the armband, it is easy to see how the club’s ambition is fuelled on a daily basis.
“When the new tournament was announced, the pressure to win the Libertadores increased. It would have meant nothing to win it the year before if we didn’t win the edition that would see us qualify for the Women’s Champions Cup. We couldn’t let that chance slip, because everyone had always dreamt of this”, Zanotti explained. “We knew that we couldn’t let any other team take that spot in the very first edition – it had to be Corinthians.”
Corinthians are a powerhouse of women’s football for many reasons, but the squad’s mindset is certainly a defining one. And it may prove decisive in a short-format competition like the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
“It makes a huge difference having a strong mentality, a group that’s used to winning, to facing challenges and handling pressure. Wearing this shirt means representing such a passionate fanbase that always support us”, said Zanotti, who works daily to instil that culture in the younger players in the group. “I’m extremely competitive and I try to spread that to everyone around me. I demand it from them.”
One of those younger players is Nicole herself, now 25, who admits she sometimes used to cry after training sessions due to the demands players place on one another. And in knockout football, much of that pressure inevitably falls on the goalkeeper. One save can be decisive; one goal conceded can lead to elimination. But the Corinthians keeper is well aware of what her preparation requires.
“A goalkeeper knows that a split second, a fingertip save, makes all the difference. Of course the pressure is huge, but I’m working on it with my therapist so that I can stay calmer,” she said. “It’s mental training. To be honest, I was eager to get back the whole time we were away! I couldn’t wait. Ever since the Libertadores, I’ve been preparing mentally for this moment, which could be the most important of my life.”
Tamires, 38, and Zanotti, 40, have a wealth of experience, but they celebrate the presence of younger players with the maturity that Nicole shows. “Having players with that mindset will make all the difference. These are two matches that could define so much of the journey we’ve been on over the years”, said Tamires.
How does a team as successful as Corinthians manage to remain at the top for so long?
“Honestly, I used to ask myself the same thing before I arrived here! My God, how do they keep winning? Getting there is hard, but staying there is even harder. Once I arrived, I understood it. It starts in training, in the gym; the demands, attention to the smallest details, punctuality, kit, everything”, explained Nicole. “Players can challenge each other, argue if necessary, always trying to keep that desire to win burning.”
“Corinthians have been incredibly consistent in their work with the women’s team, in terms of structure… they have never taken a step backwards, never reduced their budget. I think that consistency is reflected in the trophies. It’s a legacy and a blueprint for other clubs: investment and organisation are essential to building a winning team.”
Nicole’s perspective, as someone who has been at the club for a shorter time, aligns with that of Tamires, who joined Corinthians in 2019 and lived through much of that building phase.
“Back then, there were fewer of us, and that core believed so we could be here today. Everything we’re harvesting now was planted seed by seed, day after day. I think that’s Corinthians’ secret: the players, the staff and the club all believe in this project”, the full-back explained.
At this point, Nicole is fully aware of how privileged she is to be part of the squad that will compete in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Champions Cup, after so many previous generations lifted the Libertadores trophy without ever having the chance to play in an intercontinental tournament.
“We’ll be representing the current squad, but also so many girls from the past who built an incredible legacy and fought for this. I’m one of the lucky ones, but we’ll be representing everyone who came before us and dreamt of playing in an unprecedented intercontinental competition for Corinthians”, she concluded.
