Women’s World Cup to be expanded in time for 2035 tournament in UK

The Women’s World Cup will be expanded from 32 to 48 teams in time for the 2035 tournament in the United Kingdom.

The decision was confirmed after being reported by Sky News during a virtual meeting of the FIFA Council.

World football’s governing body said adding 16 teams will give “more nations and players access to elite competition” and accelerate investment in the women’s game.

It will take effect from 2031 when the Women’s World Cup is due to be staged in the United States.

Sky News first reported last year on plans to enlarge the tournament to match the expansion of the men’s tournament.

FIFA still needs to ratify the 2031 and 2035 hosts after inspecting venues, but the US and the UK had no rivals.

“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,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.

“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.”

The FIFA meeting was brought forward from next week because Mr Infantino is now due to join US President Donald Trump on a Middle East tour, delaying his arrival in Paraguay ahead of next Thursday’s Congress of all football nations.

It means the number of matches will jump from 64 under the 32-team format to 104 – as will be the case at the men’s World Cup in 2026 in the US, Canada and Mexico.

There will be concerns in the women’s game about more mismatches like the 13-0 victory by the US over Thailand at the 2019 Women’s World Cup when there were 24 finalists.

But adding another 12 teams for the Australia-New Zealand tournament in 2023 did not produce a result as one-sided.

The Netherlands did thrash Vietnam 7-0 but the Americans only beat the newcomers 3-0.

The English-led bid was the only remaining contender for the 2035 Women’s World Cup after Spain-Portugal-Morocco did not submit a valid joint entry as planned.

Britain should be able to cope with 104 matches with stadiums across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales set to be used.

England won the Women’s European Championship at Wembley in 2022.

The Football Association’s chief executive Mark Bullingham said in April: “Hosting England’s first FIFA World Cup since 1966, along with our home nations partners, will be very special.”

There are hopes that hosting the tournament at stadiums across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will help grow the popularity of the women’s game in the UK.

It comes following England’s success in the Euro 2022 final and 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2023 World Cup final.

England star Chloe Kelly told Sky News last year: “The Euros here was amazing and a World Cup would be absolutely incredible.

“I think it’s everyone’s dream, of course… England fans love football and we’re ready to get behind the team. So I think it’s important that we have many celebratory moments together.”