FIFA has announced the introduction of a Women’s Club World Cup, set to take place every four years starting in 2028, along with a new annual Women’s Champions Cup, which will debut in 2026.
The Women’s Champions Cup will be the first global competition in women’s club football and will feature six teams. It will be held annually, except in years when the Club World Cup is staged.
Plans for the 16-team Women’s Club World Cup, initially scheduled for 2026, were officially approved by the FIFA Council on Wednesday.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “Women’s football has reached new heights at national-team level, and now it’s time for global competitions that showcase the best clubs from around the world. The FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be a defining moment in the growth of women’s club football.”
- The competition will feature 16 teams from all six confederations: Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America, and Oceania.
- Thirteen clubs, including five from Europe, will qualify directly.
- The remaining three spots will be decided through a “play-in” format, with winners of one-legged knockout matches securing qualification.
- The tournament will include a group stage, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final, with all matches played at neutral venues.
The exact dates and host nation for the competition are yet to be determined. FIFA is also set to discuss prize money and potential adjustments to transfer windows if they overlap with the Club World Cup.
The governing body aims to establish minimum standards for participating clubs and believes the new tournaments will drive the global growth of women’s club football by creating more competitive matches worldwide.
Sources within FIFA say the delay in launching the Club World Cup was due to ongoing discussions around the international match calendar and concerns regarding player welfare.
