The United States will host the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup in January 2028, FIFA has confirmed. Arsenal have been named as one of seven teams set to play in the tournament, alongside a further 12 clubs to be determined at a later date.
Tournament Format and Schedule
The 19-team tournament is designed to echo the revamped men’s Club World Cup and will take place every four years. The competition is scheduled to run from 5 to 30 January 2028.
The United States previously staged the men’s Club World Cup in 2025 and co-hosted the men’s World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada. The country is also set to co-host the Women’s World Cup with Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Mexico in 2031.
Explaining the decision, FIFA’s chief women’s football officer Sarai Bareman stated, “Ultimately, the United States’ recent excellence in staging top Fifa tournaments, combined with the significant interest in women’s football there plus its elite sporting infrastructure, made the country the standout option.”
Participating Teams and Qualification
Alongside Arsenal, clubs such as Barcelona, Gotham, Club America, Corinthians, Naegohyang, and Wuhan Jiangda have booked their places at the tournament.
Six more European clubs will be selected to represent UEFA. In addition, there will be three clubs apiece for AFC in Asia, CAF in Africa, Concacaf in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and Conmebol in South America, as well as one team from OFC in Oceania.
Bareman added regarding the participants, “These seven clubs, and a dozen more, will come together to show the strength and depth of women’s club football to a global audience. They will have the opportunity to tell their story, expand their fanbase and represent their club on the world stage. They have thoroughly earned this opportunity to be part of history in the United States.”
Background and Previous Concerns
Earlier this year, the Women’s Super League described the scheduling of the Club World Cup as potentially “catastrophic”.
This event marks the second mid-season women’s competition introduced by FIFA in recent years, following the Champions Cup that took place for the first time in February and was won by Arsenal.
Source: BBC Sport
