FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Group F - Jamaica v Brazil - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne, Australia - August 2, 2023 Brazil's Marta reacts REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo
(Reuters) - Brazil's all-time leading scorer Marta celebrated her country's selection to host the 2027 Women's World Cup on Friday and called for the opening match to be played in Rio Grande do Sul, which has been devastated by recent flooding.
Brazil was chosen by the FIFA Congress to stage the tournament, beating a joint bid from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany to become the first South American nation to host the event.
"I was very happy with the news and I'm sure that the 2027 Women's World Cup will be a success, and the Brazilian people, as always, will be with open arms to welcome the world soccer community," Marta said in a video on social media.
The 38-year-old midfielder, a six-times Women's World Player of the Year, is retiring from international football this year.
"If it were possible, I would like the Brazilian national team's first match to be in Rio Grande Sul. The state of Rio Grande do Sul deserve it," Marta added.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) suspended two rounds of the Brazilian Championship due to the floods that have killed more than 150 people, according to state government figures.
(Reporting by Tatiana Ramil, Writing by Angelica Medina, Editing by Eduardo Simões and Ed Osmond)
