2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup to Expand to 48 Teams

The 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be expanded to 48 teams when the United States is expected to serve as host of the competition, the FIFA Council approved by unanimous vote on Friday.

The 48-team FIFA Women’s World Cup will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104 and extending the tournament by one week. FIFA has wanted to expand the women’s tournament from 32 teams to match the men’s World Cup which has 48 teams for the first time next year, when the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico.

The decision is set to add about four stadiums and cities to the 2031 hosting plan, which FIFA has said could expand to Mexico and perhaps beyond in the CONCACAF soccer region. While a host has not yet been officially announced for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the United States remains the lone bidder.

“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 by ensuring that 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,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, the first in which teams from all confederations won at least one game and teams from five confederations reached the knockout stage, among many other records, set a new standard for global competitiveness. This decision ensures we are maintaining the momentum in terms of growing women’s football globally.”

Brazil will host a 32-team Women’s World Cup in 2027 using eight stadiums in eight cities. The Women’s World Cup had just 16 teams as recently as the 2011 edition in Germany, 24 teams at each of the next two tournaments in Canada and France, then 32 teams for the first time in 2023 co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. In 2019, the defending champion U.S. team beat Thailand 13-0 in their opening group-stage game. In 2023, the biggest win was the Netherlands beating Thailand 7-0.