The Bud Werner Memorial Library in Aspen is giving patrons a chance to watch ‘Copa 71,’ a documentary that resurrects the 1971 Women’s Soccer World Cup, a competition that once drew more than 100,000 spectators in Mexico City but was largely erased from the official record.
The 1971 Tournament That Slipped Away
The tournament unfolded in August 1971, gathering teams from England, Argentina, Mexico, France, Denmark and Italy on the streets of Mexico City. Massive crowds filled the stadiums, and television networks broadcast the matches nationwide, yet FIFA and many national federations chose to ignore the event, labeling it a novelty rather than a milestone.
Filmmakers Alex Morgan, Venus Williams and Serena Williams collaborated on the project, weaving together archival footage with interviews from former players. Their aim was to preserve the stories of athletes who had been sidelined by a sport that still wrestled with gender bias.
At 89 minutes, ‘Copa 71’ is now accessible through Kanopy, the streaming service partnered with the library, provided viewers hold a library card. The film offers a concise yet thorough look at the first-ever women’s world championship, blending on‑field action with personal reflections.
The documentary not only fills a historical gap but also underscores how cultural moments can be marginalized when they challenge established power structures. By making the film freely available, the Bud Werner Memorial Library invites a new generation to reconsider the legacy of a tournament that proved women’s soccer could command both attendance and attention long before the modern era.