Julius OkorieThe 2031 FIFA women’s World Cup will feature 48 teams, the highest number of teams to participate in the women Mundial, the world soccer ruling body has confirmed.
The expansion follows approval to the proposal by the soccer ruling body’s council on Friday.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAccording to FIFA, the 48-team FIFA Women’s World Cup will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104 and extending the tournament by one week.
“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,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
The Women’s World cup has grown from 12 teams to 32 teams at the last Women’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2023. The 2027 edition in Brazil will still feature 32 teams. The eight venues for 2027’s event including the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro – were confirmed earlier this week.
The chosen host cities and their respective stadiums are: Belo Horizonte: Estádio Mineirã, Brasília: Estádio Nacional, Fortaleza: Arena Castelão, Porto Alegre: Estádio Beira-Rio, Recife: Arena de Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro: Estádio do Maracanã, Salvador: Arena Fonte Nova, and São Paulo: Arena Itaquera.
The 2027 edition will thus bid farewell to the 32 teams format as 48 team format debuts in 2031 to be hosted by the United States.
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The United States is tipped to stage the 2031 tournament after there were no competing bids to stage either that or the 2035 event. The US and UK are yet to be formally ratified as the hosts but that is expected to be a formality
The UK is also tipped to host the event in 2035 and that tournament will now involve 12 groups of four teams and more than 100 matches, with the format mirroring the newly expanded men’s World Cup. It is understood Fifa took this decision after consulting the continental confederations and believe expansion of its most important tournament befits the rapid growth of the women’s game.
It is also reasoned that the expansion will offer opportunity for more teams qualify and garner experiences of competing at the highest level.
The expansion of the Women’s World Cup could mean an increased number of host cities and stadiums will be required in the UK’s 2035 tournament plans. Alongside Wembley, Hampden Park and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, it is thought as-yet unbuilt venues such as Manchester United’s new stadium and Birmingham City’s proposed new 62,000-seater home could both be in contention to host matches, if built in time.
The FIFA Women’s world cup has been featured in the last 34 years after making its debut in 1991 in China. Recall that 12 teams participated in the inaugural edition which was won by the United States.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand featured 32 teams for the first time. The quadrennial event will be held in Brazil in 2027.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
