Brazilian players at the Women’s World Cup urge fans back home to skip work to watch their matches

By MOLLY LEE
Associated Press

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Brazil’s players have urged their fans back in South America to stay home from work and watch them begin their Women’s World Cup campaign against Panama. The fact that their fans even have that option marks a step forward in the players’ ongoing fight for equality with their male counterparts. Brazil president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva recently announced that civil servants could arrive at work up to two hours after the final whistle of Brazil’s games in the tournament in Australia and new Zealand. He encouraged private businesses to do the same. The Brazil-Panama match starts at 9 p.m. Monday in Adelaide, Australia. There is a roughly 12-hour time difference between the countries.