The United States has been selected to host the first-ever FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, with the historic tournament scheduled to run from January 5 to 30, 2028.
The 19-team competition will bring together leading women’s clubs from across the world, marking a major step in FIFA’s efforts to expand the global reach of women’s football and create more opportunities for clubs and players to compete on the international stage.
The decision was announced alongside new financial measures approved by the Bureau of the FIFA Council to strengthen support for participating teams, players and national football associations ahead of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
FIFA increases preparation funding for 2027 Women’s World Cup
Under the newly approved financial arrangements, each national association participating in the 2027 Women’s World Cup will receive US$2.5 million in preparation funding, bringing the amount in line with the support provided to participating associations at the 2026 men’s tournament.
FIFA indicated that the funds would be made available before December 2026.
Players competing in Brazil will also benefit from service provisions equivalent to those offered to their male counterparts at the 2026 men’s World Cup.
Additional measures will focus on improving guaranteed minimum payments for players, strengthening the FIFA Club Benefits Programme and increasing distributions to national teams involved in the qualification process.
FIFA further stated that any surplus revenue generated by the women’s tournament would be shared among participating member associations, with a designated portion set aside for players.
More information on the financial framework is expected following discussions at the next FIFA Council meeting in December 2026.
Brazil will host the 2027 edition of the Women’s World Cup, becoming the first South American country to stage the competition.
Why the United States was chosen
FIFA selected the United States after evaluating potential host countries, taking into account its experience in organising major international sporting events, established football infrastructure and growing interest in the women’s game.
FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Dame Sarai Bareman said the country was the strongest candidate for the competition’s first edition because of its hosting record and the resources available to support a tournament of this scale.
“We undertook a detailed assessment to identify the most suitable host for the inaugural edition of the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup,” said Bareman.
“Ultimately, the United States’ recent excellence in staging top FIFA tournaments, combined with the significant interest in women’s football there plus its elite sporting infrastructure, made the country the standout option.”
She added: “Alongside the vibrant and passionate women’s football ecosystem in the United States, the qualified clubs, government, host cities, our commercial and media partners, and more, our mission will be to set an impressive standard for global women’s club football and a benchmark for the future.”
Qualification format for the 19 team tournament
FIFA has also established the initial qualification framework, with continental champions from seasons ending between 2024 and 2027 given priority.
The tournament will feature six clubs from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), three each from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Concacaf and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), and one representative from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
For confederations allocated fewer than four places, including CAF, qualification will be based on continental championship results and club rankings determined by sporting performance. Clubs from these confederations will not be subject to a limit on the number of representatives from a single country.
In Europe, places will be awarded primarily to winners of the continent’s leading club competition, with additional berths allocated according to club rankings. UEFA will generally operate a maximum of two clubs per national association, except where more than two clubs from the same country win the continental competition during the qualifying period.
FIFA said it would work with the respective confederations to develop a ranking system based on sporting merit. The qualification framework will also be reviewed after the inaugural tournament in 2028.
Bareman said the competition would give participating clubs an important platform to demonstrate their abilities and attract supporters worldwide.
“These seven clubs, and a dozen more, will come together to show the strength and depth of women’s club football to a global audience,” added Bareman.
“They will have the opportunity to tell their story, expand their fan base, and represent their club on the world stage. They have thoroughly earned this opportunity to be part of history in the United States.”
Miami to stage Women’s Champions Cup semi-finals in 2027
In a separate decision, FIFA has revised the schedule for the concluding stages of the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, with both semi-final matches set to take place on consecutive days in Miami.
The matches will be played at Nu Stadium, the new home of Inter Miami CF.
Mexico’s Club América Femenil will face the winners of Round 2 from the AFC, CAF or OFC on Tuesday, January 26, 2027.
The following day, Wednesday, January 27, Spain’s FC Barcelona Femení will take on the winners of the CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina.
The bronze-medal match and final will then be held as a double-header on Sunday, January 31, 2027, although kick-off times have not yet been announced.
The competition is scheduled to begin in China on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC taking on New Zealand’s Auckland United FC at 3:00 pm local time.
The latest decisions reflect FIFA’s broader commitment to growing women’s football through expanded international competitions, increased financial investment and greater opportunities for clubs and players to reach global audiences.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar.