From Mexico to Copa America:Women's Blind Soccer

In June 2026, during the FIFA World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, Fondo Semillas launched “Ellas juegan, México dice ‘voy’”, a fundraising campaign to support the Colectiva de Mujeres Futbolistas Ciegas in forming Mexico’s first Women’s Blind Football National Team and participating in the 2026 Copa América in Brazil.

The campaign raised approximately USD 56,150, exceeding its goal of USD 55,200. Of this amount, approximately USD 37,900 came from individual donors outside Fondo Semillas’ existing donor community. A total of 743 people donated to Fondo Semillas for the first time, the highest number of new donors reached through one of our campaigns. We also re-engaged 69 previously inactive donors.

Behind these results is the story of more than 50 blind women football players from Mexico City, Puebla, Jalisco, Tlaxcala, and Baja California who train every week. After years of dedication, they achieved an important milestone by representing Mexico at the Copa América, where they won the bronze medal. Their achievement marked a historic step for women’s blind football in the country and recognized the work of the athletes and pioneers who have helped build the sport in Mexico.

Their participation also highlighted the barriers women with disabilities face in accessing competitive sport, including limited funding, visibility, and opportunities to train and compete. For these athletes, football is a space to develop their skills, pursue their ambitions, and challenge the exclusion that has kept many women with disabilities from participating in sport at the highest levels.

The collective now hopes to expand to more states across Mexico, creating opportunities for girls, adolescents, and women with visual disabilities to discover football and join the team. Its future goals include participating in the 2027 World Championship and continuing to strengthen its competitive level with the longer-term aspiration of reaching the Paralympic Games.

For Fondo Semillas, the campaign was also an opportunity to share this story with people beyond our existing donor community. Football provided an accessible way to connect with audiences who might not otherwise engage with feminist causes or grassroots organizations.

 "People would recognize me on the street and say, 'You're going to make it,'" shares Paulina, national team player and face of the campaign “Ellas juegan, México dice ‘voy’”.

The campaign’s promotional video generated 64% of all donations, and men accounted for 27% of new donors. These results demonstrated the potential of combining compelling storytelling, digital outreach, and strategic timing to mobilize new support.

By supporting the collective, Fondo Semillas helped mobilize resources for a team that is already changing what is possible for women in blind football in Mexico. Their bronze medal is an important achievement, but their impact extends beyond the competition: they are helping create opportunities for more women and girls with visual disabilities to enter the sport and pursue their own ambitions.