The first Women’s Club World Cup will be held between January and February 2026 with the participation of 16 teams, as approved this Wednesday by the FIFA Council meeting in Bangkok.
The venue for this new tournament, which will be held every four years, remains to be determined, the governing body of World football said in a statement without providing further details.
FIFA did not specify how these 16 clubs would be classified. Barcelona and Lyon are the best-ranked European teams and between them they have won ten Champions Leagues since 2011. The Catalans and the French will meet in the next final on May 25 in Bilbao.
The 32-team men’s Club World Cup will be played in June-July next year in the United States and teams will qualify by winning or achieving consistent good results in four years of continental championships until 2024.
FIFA’s main decision-making body ratified “unanimously”, in a meeting prior to the Congress held on Friday in the Thai capital, the calendar of women’s international matches for the years 2026-2029.
This schedule will provide more rest and recovery opportunities for players, with a reduction in the number of international windows from six to five, which will “facilitate fewer disruptions to domestic leagues and reduce travel.”
“The women’s international calendar and the reforms to our regulations are an important step in our commitment to take women’s football to the next level by increasing competitiveness around the world, especially in regions where women’s football is less developed and there is less protection. well-being of the players,” remarked FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
This Friday, the FIFA Congress plans to announce the host of the Women’s World Cup for national teams, to which the candidates from Brazil and, jointly, Germany-Belgium and the Netherlands, will compete, which will be chosen for the first time by open voting.