RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Rio de Janeiro's State Government announced on Monday the intention to organize a women's soccer championship in the state in 2009.

Rio's State Secretary of Sports and Leisure Eduardo Paes stated his wish to host the tournament simultaneously with the men's state championship, in the Jan.-Feb. period. He plans to have the matches of both tournaments on the same dates and places.

According to Paes, it would be "more viable economically" to sell tickets for a "double round," including women's and men's games. Additionally, the measure dates back to an old habit of soccer fans in Brazil, who used to arrive "earlier" in stadiums to watch games of junior divisions.

Brazil's national women's team was defeated by Germany on Sunday in the FIFA World Cup final in Shanghai, China. However, a second place, along with the gold medal in the Pan American Games in Rio, has led the Brazilian soccer body CBF and regional federations to support the creation of women's soccer contests in the country.