The FIFA Council approved on Friday the plans to expand the Women’s World Cup to 48 teams.
The proposal will be put to a vote in the FIFA Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Thursday, which is expected to be a mere formality.
The tournament will expand from 32 to 48 nations for the 2031 edition, which is expected to be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
This is the only bid on the table and will be ratified by FIFA in 2026.
This will align the women’s competition with the men’s, which will have 48 international teams starting in 2026 and will be organized by the same three Concacaf countries.
The first Women’s World Cup was held in 1991 and featured 12 countries, before expanding to 16 in 1999, then to 24 in 2015 and to 32 teams for the most recent tournament in 2023.
The 2027 event, which will be played in Brazil, will still feature 32 competing nations.
48 teams is something we have passionately supported. We believe it would be incredible for the growth of women’s soccer.
JT Batson, CEO of the United States Soccer Federation
Batson added that the federation would strongly support the latest expansion.
Berman, NWSL commissioner, used the term “catalyst” to describe the United States’ opportunity to host the 2031 tournament.
I think that to the extent that people see the Men’s World Cup as a catalyst for the growth of men’s soccer here, the Women’s World Cup being held here in 2031 is directly a catalyst for growth.
Jessica Berman, NWSL commissioner
The United Kingdom submitted the only “valid bid” to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup, which will also feature 48 teams.
