FIFA has announced that the Women’s World Cup will expand from 32 to 48 teams starting with the 2031 tournament.
The FIFA Council unanimously voted for the expansion during a virtual meeting on Friday.
The 48-team World Cup will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104, extending the competition by one week.
The 2027 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Brazil, will have 32 teams.
The 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand was the first to have 32 teams, up from 24 in the 2019 tournament hosted by France.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, said the expansion will give more countries the opportunity to benefit from the development of women’s football.
“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,” he said.
“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,” he said.
The US is expected to be named host of the 2031 women’s World Cup as the only bidder. The country will host the tournament for the third time after staging it in 1999 and 2003.
The UK is the sole bidder for the 2035 tournament. The hosts for the 2031 and 2035 editions have yet to be ratified.
