The Women’s World Cup will expand from 32 to 48 teams starting with the 2031 edition, following the FIFA Council’s approval of the proposal at a virtual meeting on Friday.
The expanded 48-team tournament will feature a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104, mirroring the format of the men’s World Cup in 2026. This expansion will also extend the tournament by an additional week.
The 2027 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to take place in Brazil, will maintain the 32-team format. The 2023 edition, hosted by Australia and New Zealand, was the first to feature 32 teams, an increase from the 24 teams in the 2019 tournament held in France.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted that the expansion was not only about increasing the number of teams but also advancing the development of women’s football globally. “This is not just about having 16 more teams in the FIFA Women’s World Cup but taking the next steps in relation to the women’s game in general,” Infantino said. “More FIFA member associations will now have the opportunity to use the tournament as a platform to develop their women’s football structures.”
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The United States is set to be named the host for the 2031 Women’s World Cup as the sole bidder, marking the third time the country will host the event, having previously done so in 1999 and 2003. The United Kingdom is the sole candidate for the 2035 edition, though hosts for both the 2031 and 2035 tournaments are yet to be ratified.
Despite concerns that the expansion could result in one-sided matches, Infantino pointed out that the 2023 Women’s World Cup demonstrated the growing competitiveness among teams. “The 2023 edition, 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,” he said.
