FIFA Women’s World Cup to expand by 2031

FIFA has announced a significant expansion of the Women’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, beginning with the 2031 edition. This change will align the women’s tournament structure with the men’s competition, which is also expanding to 48 teams for its 2026 edition.

The FIFA Council unanimously approved this decision, citing the “remarkable recent strides made by women’s football across the world.” The expanded format will feature 12 groups and increase the total number of matches from 64 to 104, extending the tournament duration by one week.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted the success of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand as a catalyst for this change: “The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, the first in which teams from all confederations won at least one game and teams from five confederations reached the knockout stage, set a new standard for global competitiveness.”

This expansion represents a significant milestone in the evolution of women’s football, reflecting its growing popularity and competitive balance worldwide. The increased participation will provide more opportunities for developing nations to compete at the highest level, potentially accelerating the sport’s growth in regions where women’s football has historically received less support.

The United States is currently the sole candidate to host the 2031 tournament, while the United Kingdom, home of 2023 finalists England, is bidding for the 2035 edition. These potential host nations have strong women’s football traditions and infrastructure capable of supporting the expanded format.

Before the 48-team format debuts, Brazil will host the 10th edition of the Women’s World Cup in 2027, which will maintain the current 32-team structure. This transitional period will allow FIFA and participating nations to prepare for the logistical challenges of the larger tournament.

The expansion follows a period of unprecedented growth in women’s football, with increased media coverage, professional league development, and record-breaking attendance figures across multiple competitions.