FIFA has announced significant changes to the landscape of women’s club football, postponing the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup to 2028 and introducing a new annual competition, the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, starting in 2026. This announcement from the world football governing body follows initial reports about the Club World Cup’s delay.
The Women’s Champions Cup, an annual tournament featuring six continental champions, will begin in January 2026. The Women’s Club World Cup, now scheduled for 2028 and to be held every four years, will include 16 teams. The format will consist of a play-in stage, group stages, and knockout rounds, with the final potentially hosted in North America, South America, or Europe.
In 2025, a landmark year, all six football confederations will crown their first-ever club champions.
Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s chief women’s football officer, expressed her enthusiasm: “This is a super exciting time for women’s football. Today is a historic day, marking a major milestone for the sport.”
Bareman further explained the decision-making process: “Over the past months, we conducted extensive consultations with stakeholders, including players and confederations, to refine the details of these club competitions. The plans presented to the FIFA Council reflect this feedback. We are introducing the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup in 2028 and, as a phased approach, the annual FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in 2026.”
The FIFA council initially approved the concept of a Women’s Club World Cup in December 2022. In May 2024, further details were approved, outlining a quadrennial tournament starting in 2026, with annual events in the intervening years. The previous announcements have already led to the creation of inaugural continental club championships in three confederations: AFC, Concacaf, and OFC.
While planning is still underway to determine qualifying clubs, host cities, stadiums, and prize money, FIFA executives are confident that these new competitions will provide more playing opportunities and contribute to the global growth of women’s football.
Jill Ellis of FIFA emphasized the global anticipation for a Women’s Club World Cup: “There is clear global support for this tournament. Currently, there’s no global benchmark to compare the best women’s leagues and clubs worldwide. This competition will settle that debate.”
Ellis highlighted the positive impact of the FIFA Women’s World Cup: “Every four years, we witness the transformative effect of the Women’s World Cup, with record crowds, increased player transfers, and mainstream recognition. Post-2023 World Cup statistics show a 59% attendance growth in top leagues. We believe it’s time to bring the same global spotlight to club football, and a World Cup format is ideal.”
She concluded, “Our plan is to create new rivalries, attract new audiences, and provide an incredible platform for the world’s best clubs to compete. This will drive more attention and investment into women’s football. A global club competition gives more players the chance to realize their dreams of becoming world champions, and we are incredibly excited about this.”
Key Dates for FIFA Women’s Competitions
The new competition structure will be implemented throughout the current women’s international soccer cycle. The inaugural Champions Cup in 2026 will inform the 2027 edition. The Women’s Champions Cup will take a break in 2028 for the Women’s Club World Cup, resuming in 2029 with potential adjustments after further consultation.
FIFA Women’s Champions Cup
- January 2026
- To Be Determined 2027
- To Be Determined 2029
FIFA Women’s Club World Cup
- To Be Determined 2028
Tournament Participation
With the introduction of six new continental club champions this year, there is significant interest in which clubs will participate in these new competitions. Previously, there was no global club tournament to gauge the level of club competition worldwide.
Bareman acknowledged the anticipation: “The question of participation is highly anticipated by all stakeholders. We had extensive discussions regarding slots for the inaugural edition. The current slot allocation is for the first edition only. We will begin new consultations in 2028 to determine slot allocations for the 2032 edition.”
Each of the six confederations will have one play-in slot. These six teams will compete for three spots in the Women’s Club World Cup. AFC, CAF, Concacaf, and Conmebol will each receive two direct slots, while UEFA will have five direct slots. These 13 direct slots, combined with the three play-in winners, will make up the 16 teams for the Women’s Club World Cup.
New Competition Format
