As a universal sport, football has the potential to turn social barriers into opportunities. It can empower women and girls by boosting their confidence, leadership skills, and sense of belonging. Furthermore, football has the capacity to shatter traditional gender stereotypes, showcasing women as strong, strategic, and capable leaders – both on and off the pitch. A sustainable development strategy that uses football as a vehicle for lasting change must address these issues, contributing to broader goals of gender equality, social inclusion, and community strengthening. In recent years, Brazil has made significant strides in women's football – Brazil has competed in every Olympic tournament and all nine editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup – yet important gaps remain regarding gender equality, resource allocation, and representation, particularly in regions outside the Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo axis. One region with immense potential, though still seeking the resources needed to advance toward desired social and sports development, is the Brazilian Northeast. 

While rich in culture, history, and natural beauty, and a breeding ground for skilled international-level players (Santos, 2023), the Northeast, especially the states of Alagoas & Maranhão, which possess the lowest human development index data of the country (Alves, 2026), faces significant socioeconomic challenges, especially for women and girls in rural communities and disadvantaged urban areas and, as it won't host any games of the FIFA 2027 World Cup may, therefore benefit from the Legacy Fund (Reuters, 2024). Against this backdrop, a development strategy framed around women's football can serve as a powerful tool to promote gender equality, empowering girls and women to tackle even broader social challenges, not only in the Brazilian Northeast but beyond.

Recent progress and remaining social challenges in Alagoas and Maranhão

Alagoas and Maranhão have experienced gradual improvements in several social indicators in recent years, although both states continue to face significant socioeconomic disadvantages relative to Brazil as a whole. Progress is particularly visible in education, while income, employment quality, poverty and access to basic services remain important challenges. The evidence therefore suggests a process of gradual convergence, but one in which substantial structural inequalities persist.

Education represents one of the clearest areas of recent progress. The 2025 Índice de Desenvolvimento da Educação Básica (Ideb), which combines student performance in Portuguese language and mathematics with school-approval rates, increased across all three educational stages in Maranhão. Between 2023 and 2025, Maranhão's Ideb increased from 5.4 to 5.7 in the early years of primary education, from 4.5 to 4.7 in the later years, and from 3.8 to 3.9 in secondary education. These were the highest values recorded in the state's historical series (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira [INEP], 2026a). 

Alagoas has followed a similar trajectory. Its debt increased from 6.0 to 6.4 in the early years of primary education, from 5.0 to 5.3 in the later years, and from 4.1 to 4.3 in secondary education between 2023 and 2025. Nationally, the corresponding 2025 figures were 6.3, 5.3 and 4.5. Consequently, Alagoas has reached or exceeded the national average in the first two stages, although secondary education continues to show a small gap (INEP, 2026a, 2026b), comparing to the national average.  

Despite these educational improvements, income remains a major indicator of regional inequality. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), average monthly household income per capita in 2025 was R$1,422 in Alagoas (approximately 275, USD – exchange rate 1 Oct 2026) and R$1,219 in Maranhão, compared with R$2,316 (approx., 448, USD) nationally. Maranhão's figure was therefore approximately 53% of the Brazilian average, while Alagoas reached approximately 61% (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística [IBGE], 2026). These differences demonstrate that improvements in education have not yet translated into comparable levels of household economic resources.

Research further indicates that poverty in these states is a multidimensional issue, not merely a matter of insufficient income. Maas et al. (2022), for example, examined poverty in Maranhão using dimensions including education, health, employment and living standards. Their findings emphasize the importance of infrastructure, access to safe water and sanitation, waste management, labor formalization and adult education. Such evidence is particularly relevant because persistent deprivation in these areas can reinforce one another and limit the capacity of households to benefit from economic growth.

The access to formal labour market presents a further challenge. Although employment conditions have improved in recent years, informality and underemployment remain important obstacles to higher and more stable household incomes. This is particularly relevant in Maranhão, where a large proportion of employment continues to occur outside formal labour arrangements. Consequently, economic development alone may not be sufficient to close the social gap with the national average unless it generates more productive and formal employment opportunities, an area in which the football industry can certainly play a role.

Overall, Alagoas and Maranhão have made meaningful progress, but their convergence with the Brazilian average remains incomplete. The evidence suggests that reducing these gaps will require sustained and integrated policies combining improvements in education with employment generation, labour formalisation, income growth, sanitation and social protection. In this respect, the experience of Maranhão demonstrates the importance of addressing poverty through multiple dimensions simultaneously rather than relying exclusively on income-based interventions (Maas et al., 2022). 

Football is not a “silver-bullet” but an ally in the sustainable development road

Football is certainly not the solution to all socio-development shortfalls in the northeast of Brazil. However, if aligned with the measures taken recently to reduce the inequality gap, sports in general and football in particular can be a strong ally in helping states such as Alagoas and Maranhão to walk at the 2030 sustainable development path (Ghosh & Chakravarty, 2024), leaving no-one behind, as the 2030’s agenda promotes.

The point previously outlined on addressing poverty through multiple dimensions simultaneously is an entry-point for a football anchored development strategy as much as Football offers not only a path to important athletic development but also a springboard into related fields—such as media, hospitality, sports management, logistics, etc. 

Football can contribute to sustainable development in Alagoas and Maranhão not only by expanding access to sport, but also by creating pathways to employment, education, social inclusion and local economic development. A promising approach would be to embed football within a broader, multidimensional poverty-reduction strategy, connecting participation on the pitch with opportunities beyond it.

Three complementary initiatives could help translate this ambition into practice.

1. Football-based education, vocational training and employment pathways

Develop community-based football programmes that combine sporting activities with educational support, vocational training and career guidance, particularly for young people from low-income and rural communities.

• How it would work: Football clubs, schools, municipalities and vocational training institutions such as SENAC or SESC could jointly offer after-school programmes that combine football coaching with literacy, digital skills, financial education and professional qualifications.
• Opportunities beyond the pitch: Participants could train for careers in sports management, coaching, refereeing, physiotherapy, media production, event organisation, hospitality and logistics. Partnerships with local businesses could provide apprenticeships and paid placements.
• Sustainable development contribution: This initiative would support SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

The central idea is to use football as an entry point into a wider skills and employment ecosystem, rather than treating athletic success as the only route to social mobility. This is particularly important for young people who may not pursue professional sporting careers.

2. Community football hubs for inclusion and multidimensional poverty reduction

Establish accessible football hubs in underserved urban neighbourhoods and rural communities, using sports facilities as platforms for delivering complementary social services.

• How it would work: Local governments, community associations, clubs and civil society organisations could coordinate football sessions alongside tutoring, nutritional support, health education, psychosocial support and referrals to social protection programmes.
• A strong inclusion dimension: Dedicated activities, sensitisation sessions and safe spaces could increase participation among girls and young women, children with disabilities, and young people facing social exclusion. Local residents could also be trained and employed as coaches, mentors and community coordinators.
• Sustainable development contribution: The initiative would advance SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

The key advantage is its integrated approach: sport can help build trust and attract participants, while partnerships with schools, particularly public schools, and social services address the interconnected causes of poverty. Football would therefore serve as a delivery mechanism for broader development interventions, not as a substitute for them.

3. Football-led local economic development and sustainable event tourism

Use football clubs, local tournaments and community sporting events as catalysts for entrepreneurship, job creation and the development of local value chains.

• How it would work: Organise regional football and futsal tournaments that connect municipalities across Alagoas and Maranhão and potentially other states of the northeast, while supporting local micro-enterprises and cooperatives in catering, transport, accommodation, sportswear, event production and digital communications. Training and small grants could help young people and women establish or expand football-related businesses.
• A sustainability dimension: Events could prioritise local suppliers, reduce plastic waste, improve waste collection and promote water-efficient facilities. Partnerships with tourism authorities could also connect tournaments to local cultural heritage, crafts and gastronomy. In Alagoas, Marta’s legacy could make a tournament named in her honour a powerful catalyst for local development.
• Sustainable development contribution: This initiative would support SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

The underlying objective is to ensure that the economic benefits of football extend beyond clubs and professional athletes to the wider community. Evidence from other Brazilian states suggests (Nakamura & Cerqueira, 2021) that football competitions and training for coaches, referees and sports managers can contribute to employment and income generation.

Making the initiatives deliver lasting impact

For these proposals to contribute meaningfully to the 2030 Agenda, three implementation principles are essential:

• Target those most at risk of being left behind: Prioritise low-income households, girls and young women, people with disabilities, and communities with limited access to education and employment.
• Build cross-sector partnerships: Bring together national and local governments, schools, universities, football federations, clubs, businesses and civil society. Existing Brazilian initiatives, such as “Seleções do Futuro”, offer a potential institutional starting point. 
• Measure social and economic outcomes: Track school attendance and completion, vocational qualifications, job placements, business creation, participation by underrepresented groups, and the long-term affordability of community sports facilities.

Ultimately, the greatest development potential lies in connecting football participation to a broader ecosystem of education, social protection and economic opportunity. By combining these three initiatives, Alagoas and Maranhão both could use football not simply as a recreational activity or a route to professional sport, but as a practical instrument for reducing multidimensional poverty, strengthening local economies and advancing the commitment to leave no one behind.

Planning the legacy today, not in 2039

Exemplary career paths, such as that of the iconic Marta – the most acclaimed female football player, or that of Tânia Maranhão – who made history in Brazilian women’s football by becoming the first athlete over the age of 50 to score a goal in a national competition – cannot be mere "coincidences" or solely the result of individual effort. 

Football cannot, by itself, solve the socioeconomic challenges facing Brazil’s Northeast or replace the structural policies and sustained public investment required to reduce poverty and inequality. Yet, when integrated into broader development strategies, it can help states such as Alagoas and Maranhão advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and ensure that no one is left behind. The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup offers a timely chance to turn this potential into lasting progress. The true measure of success will be not only what the tournament delivers in 2027, but what communities not directly involved with this mega event can achieve long after the final whistle.

An example of the centre of excellence built in the – northeastern – state of Piaui in 2026, as part of the legacy of the 2014 men’s World Cup illustrates the importance of planning ahead (O Dia, 2026), otherwise, more than a decade can pass without the actual impact being noticeable.

This paper therefore calls for early, coordinated planning to allocate the FIFA legacy funding expected for Brazil. Investment decisions should reflect clear priorities, local needs and measurable social returns – not short-term visibility or isolated sporting projects. For Alagoas and Maranhão, this means identifying where investment could have the greatest transformative effect: expanding access to safe and inclusive football facilities, increasing opportunities for girls and young women to participate in sport, and connecting football programmes with education, vocational training and employment. It also means recognising that football’s potential extends well beyond the pitch, creating opportunities in coaching, refereeing, sports management, media, hospitality, logistics and entrepreneurship. By involving local communities, young people, women’s organisations, schools, football federations, municipalities and businesses in the planning process, legacy funding can respond to real needs and strengthen local ownership. Equally important, transparent governance, clear responsibilities and robust monitoring mechanisms can help ensure that resources are spent effectively and that progress continues long after the 2027 Women’s World Cup ends. These principles are consistent with Brazil’s emerging national legacy planning framework, which seeks to connect the 2027 event with women’s participation in sport, professional development and the reduction of territorial inequalities. Brazil’s Ministry of Sport has emphasised that the legacy must extend beyond the host cities (Ministério do Esporte, 2026). Ultimately, the success of this investment should not be measured only in facilities built, teams formed or matches played, but in lives improved, skills acquired, opportunities created and inequalities reduced. If Alagoas and Maranhão, they begin planning today, the legacy of 2027 can become much more than a sporting inheritance: it can be a catalyst for inclusive, locally driven and sustainable development, helping Alagoas and Maranhão move closer to the promise of the 2030 Agenda.

Conclusion

Football is deeply loved and widely played across Brazil, yet its potential to create meaningful professional opportunities for women remains largely untapped. The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, hosted by Brazil, presents a unique opportunity to change this reality by transforming football into more than a commercial enterprise centred on physical competition. With the eyes of the world on Brazil, the tournament can serve as a catalyst for lasting social and economic change, advancing women’s empowerment, professional development, and gender equality both on and off the pitch.

To achieve this, Brazil must learn from the experience of hosting the 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cup. While the tournament brought international visibility, investment, and significant infrastructure development, it also raised important questions about the sustainability of its legacy, the distribution of its benefits, and the extent to which local communities experienced lasting improvements. The lesson for 2027 is clear: success must not be measured solely by stadiums, attendance figures, commercial revenues, or the global spectacle of the event. Instead, Brazil must place people, particularly women and girls, at the heart of its legacy planning, ensuring that the opportunities generated by the tournament continue long after the final game to be played at the iconic Maracanã stadium.

The 2027 World Cup should therefore be conceived as a transformational investment in human capital, equipping women with essential life and professional skills, including teamwork, leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. As women’s football becomes increasingly professionalised worldwide, it is also opening pathways into a broad range of careers beyond playing, including sports management, coaching, journalism, broadcasting, marketing, administration, event planning, logistics, and commercial partnerships. These opportunities can help women build sustainable careers, gain financial independence, and take on leadership roles within Brazil’s expanding sports economy.

Realising this vision will require deliberate action and long-term commitment. Partnerships between government, football federations, educational institutions, businesses, community organisations, and civil society can establish training programmes, mentorship initiatives, internships, and employment pathways for women and girls from diverse backgrounds. Particular attention should be given to those women and girls who face additional barriers to accessing education, employment, and professional networks.

Ultimately, Brazil can redefine what hosting a major sporting event may achieve. By learning from 2014 and prioritising inclusion, skills development, and sustainable employment, the 2027 Women’s World Cup can become far more than a global sporting spectacle. It can be a defining moment in which Brazil harnesses the power of football to expand women’s economic participation, strengthen communities, and create a lasting legacy of opportunity for generations to come.

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