Chicago – May11, 2025
The Women’s World Cup will expand to 48 teams for the 2031 edition of the tournament, which could be hosted by the United States.
The FIFA Council unanimously decided to expand the tournament from 32 teams to 48 in 2031, bringing it in line with the men’s World Cup as it expands to 48 teams in the 2026 tournament.
The 48-team tournament will have 12 groups and will feature 104 matches, expanded from 64. The tournament will also be one week longer to accommodate the expanded schedule and number of teams.
“This is not just about having 16 more teams playing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup but taking the next steps in relation to the women’s game in general by ensuring that more FIFA Member Associations have the chance to benefit from the tournament to develop their women’s football structures from a holistic point of view,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
“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, among many other records, set a new standard for global competitiveness. This decision ensures we are maintaining the momentum in terms of growing women’s football globally.”
Infantino said last month that the United States and United Kingdom look set to host the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups when the decision is formally made next year. The US and UK were the only nations to meet the first deadline in the contest to host those respective tournaments in early April.
