FIFA to postpone first Women’s Club World Cup to 2028 and introduce Women’s Champions Cup beginning in 2026

FIFA will postpone the FIFA World Cup World Cup for Women’s Club until 2028 and introduce a new club match, the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, in 2026. The world footballing administrative body announced the new changes on Wednesday. The news comes only a few days after a first explanation about postponing the Women’s Club World Cup.

The Women’s Champions Cup will be an annual competition and six continental champions have been rolled out in a phased approach that starts in January 2026, and the World Cups from 2028 is held every four years, has 16 teams, with direct slots for large confederations and play-in slots for others. The general format includes a play-in phase, group phases and knockout rounds with a final hosted in North America, South America or Europe.

In 2025, all six football confederations will be a club champion Kronen for the first time.

“This is a super exciting time for women’s football, I think, provided that everything is going well and the meeting will be a historic day in the history of women’s football in a few hours and I am sure to celebrate with my team [as] We get this milestone over the line, “said Chief Women’s Football Officer Sarai Bareman.

“In the past 10 months, my team and I have been busy with what we would like to call a listening tour with all our stakeholders, players, confederations – all the important stakeholders – to really refine and work out further details about what these club matches would look like. What we would like. [presented] Today for the FIFA council today is a result of all that consultation and feedback. And with this in mind … We will introduce a FIFA World Cup for Ladies Club in 2028 and as a phased approach we will introduce an annual club match from 2026 called the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. “

In December 2022, the FIFA council approved the introduction of a World Cup for Women’s Club. Subsequently, in May 2024, the Council approved additional details that the tournament would start in 2026 as a four-year competition with annual contact points in the World Cup years for Non-Fifa Women’s Club. Three confederations (AFC, Concacaf and OFC) will celebrate an inaugural continental champion as a direct result of the earlier announcements.

There are still planning phases that take place, such as determining which clubs are eligible, future guest cities and stadium sites and prize money, but FIFA managers are affirmative that the new competitions will expand the playing opportunities and the women’s game will grow worldwide.

“From the beginning it has been very clear that there is global support for a FIFA World Cup for Women’s Club. At the moment there is no global sporting comparison when it comes to who is the best women’s competition in the world, which has the best clubs, and it is certainly a fel -curved debate, and one that we all are very enthusiastic,” Fifa said.

“Every years we experience the impact of the fifa Women’s World Cup on the Football Landscape, record crowds, an explosion in transfer fees, transfers itself, and player’s child of Becoming household names, and the game ACTULY.” World Cup, 59% of the Top Five Leagues Experienced Attendance Growth, It’s A Fantastic Impact.

Our plan is to deliver a petition that will create new rivalry, inspire a new audience and … It is an incredible opportunity to match the best clubs in the world against each other, and then we feel more attention, investments in the women’s game outside the field. I think every player dreams of being world champion, and with a worldwide club match, more players have the chance to fulfill that ambition. So clear, it’s something we are very enthusiastic about. “

View the most important dates for the tournament:

FIFA Women’s Competition data

FIFA will roll out the new competition during the next international football cycle for women. The inaugural 2026 tournament is completed. The 2027 edition is determined by the results of the 2026 version. The Women’s Champions Cup will pause in 2028 for the official World Cup for Ladies Club and then resumed in 2029 where it will be subject to a new advisory phase.

FIFA Women’s Champions Cup

• January 2026
• TBD 2027
• TBD 2029

FIFA World Cup for Ladies Club

Who will be in the tournament

With six new club continental champions that are being crowned this year, there is natural curiosity on which clubs will participate in the new competitions. Before this moment and the introduction of new competitions there was no measuring stick of club tournaments to determine the level of club competition worldwide.

“This is probably the most expected question, especially for all stakeholders we spoke,” said Bareman. “This meant that there were a number of very interesting discussions about the subject of slots, but despite that we managed to agree with our stakeholders for the inaugural edition … The current slots will only apply for the inaugural edition. In 2028 we will start a new consultation in 2028 to determine the future final assignment for the next edition. ”

Each of the six confederations has one play-in lock. The six teams will play -off for three slots on the Women’s Club World Cup. AFC, CAF, Concacaf and Conmebol each have two direct slots, while UEFA has five direct slots. The 13 slots combined with three champions from the play-in slots will complete the 16 official teams for the Women’s Club World Cup.

View the layout images below:

New competition -format