Photo: TopFoto and Marina Amaral courtesy of New Black Films
COPA 71 is changing how the history of women’s sport is being remembered. Played between teams from Mexico, England, Argentina, France, Italy, and Denmark, the women’s tournament was held 20 years before FIFA hosted its first Women’s World Cup. The first unofficial women's edition took place in 1970 in Italy, with a final in front of 50,000 fans. But in Mexico in 1971, 112,500 spectators at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City - the largest crowd ever - watched the final. Documentary co-director Rachel Ramsay first heard about COPA 71 during the COVID lockdown but had to dig deep into the archives of Mexican newspapers, find people who were there, and unearth scrapbooks, posters, and ticket stubs to tell the story. While Mexican media giant Televisa wanted to host a women’s event, FIFA threatened fines and bans if it went ahead. Nevertheless, COPA sold out and the matches were high quality and competitive. “The women who have been voiceless for 50 years are now on screen and given the chance to tell their story,” Ramsay says.
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