The Women’s World Cup will increase to 48 teams starting in the 2031 tournament, following a decision made by the FIFA Council on Friday.
The UK is set to host an event in 2035, which will consist of 12 groups with four teams each, leading to over 100 matches. This change is designed to mirror the expanded format of the Men’s World Cup and comes in response to the rapid growth of women’s soccer.
In 2023, the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand grew from 24 to 32 teams, a number that will remain for Brazil’s 2027 edition as well. Earlier this week, eight venues for the 2027 tournament, including Malacanan in Rio de Janeiro, were confirmed.
The US is expected to host the Women’s World Cup in 2031, although neither the US nor the UK has been officially ratified as hosts yet. That said, this is likely to be finalized soon.
With the expansion of the Women’s World Cup, there may also be an increase in host cities and stadiums for the 2035 tournament in the UK. Besides major venues like Wembley and Hampden Park, if new stadiums such as Manchester United’s or a proposed 62,000-capacity venue in Birmingham are completed in time, they might also host matches.
FIFA has also approved a three-pillar strategy for women’s soccer in Afghanistan. This includes setting up a female refugee team, a decision that had been reported back in March.
The strategy focuses on providing targeted support to women and girls in Afghanistan, alongside advocacy for their rights amid the current restrictions, as well as increasing play opportunities for non-state players.
The third pillar seeks to establish a team of displaced Afghan players who can compete in friendly matches and tournaments organized by FIFA, prioritizing player safety and well-being.
However, it seems the team won’t be able to qualify for the 2027 World Cup, especially since Afghanistan did not participate in the June qualifying campaign for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
The refugee team will be formed during a one-year pilot phase, after which its sustainability and potential for expansion with other refugee groups will be evaluated.
“The National Team of Women in Afghanistan” stated Harida Popal, expressing pride in contributing to FIFA’s first refugee soccer team. Still, awareness about appointing official recognition for players as a women’s team is needed.
“We’re thrilled to support this initiative,” said Andrea Florence, executive director of Sport & Rights Alliance. “This first move from FIFA to create an Afghan female refugee team is a significant step forward, though challenges such as gender discrimination from the Afghan football federation persist.”
