jogadoras

Jogadoras is the feminine plural form of the Portuguese noun jogador, meaning a female player. The term is used to designate women who participate in sports at any level. In Lusophone contexts, the feminine form jogadora and the plural jogadoras appear across disciplines such as football (futebol), basketball (basquete), volleyball (vôlei), tennis, and athletics, to distinguish female athletes from their male counterparts, jogadores.

Usage is common in media, team rosters, and competition documentation. In football, for example, teams often identify players as jogadoras on rosters, match reports, and player profiles, reinforcing the gendered terminology used in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Over recent decades, jogadoras have gained greater visibility and professional opportunities, with the introduction of women's leagues, sponsorship, and broadcasting in many regions. However, gender gaps remain in funding, pay, and media coverage compared with male players, influencing career longevity and development pathways.

Contextually, jogadoras sit within a broader conversation about gender in sport in Portuguese-speaking countries, where language mirrors social roles, and ongoing efforts aim to improve equity, development, and recognition for women athletes.