The United States will play host to another major women's soccer tournament. FIFA announced that the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January 2028, giving the country another marquee event for the women's game.
The flagship quadrennial tournament will begin Jan. 5 and run through Jan. 30, and it will feature 19 of the world's best clubs across six confederations. It will be the third flagship competition hosted in the United States for the foreseeable future.
USA remains women's soccer hub
The choice of the United States was no accident. The country is coming off co-hosting a record-setting 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup and will host the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
FIFA Chief Women's Football Officer Dame Sarai Bareman said the governing body ran a detailed assessment before settling on a host, and the American bid came out on top.
"We undertook a detailed assessment to identify the most suitable host for the inaugural edition of the FIFA Women's Club World Cup," said Bareman.
"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. Alongside the vibrant and passionate women's football ecosystem in the United States, the qualified clubs, government, host cities, our commercial and media partners, and more, our mission will be to set an impressive standard for global women's club football and a benchmark for the future."
The timing seems to fit a larger picture. With Los Angeles as host of the 2028 Summer Games, and the Women's Club World Cup set to kick off the year in January, American soccer fans will have another stacked calendar of football to partake in as the best clubs and national teams compete in winter and summer tournaments.
Looking further ahead, the United States is on track to host the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup and hosted the men's Club World Cup in 2025. No official announcement has been made on that tournament, but the U.S. Soccer Federation launched a bid alongside co-hosts Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica for the next World Cup, and they are currently leading an uncontested bid.
The 2031 tournament will be an expanded format, welcoming 48 teams for the first time. An official vote by the FIFA Congress is expected by Nov. 23 in Zurich. The initial bid of host cities has already expanded, with recent additions of Chicago and Portland.
Already home to two first-division women's pro soccer leagues, the NWSL and Gainbridge Super League, the United States remains a model for club, national team, and tournament standards. Excitement around a future World Cup, the Olympics, and now a Women's Club World Cup cements the country as a go-to destination for women's tournament soccer from club competitions to the national-team stage.
Seven teams already set for Club World Cup
For the sport and the women's game, there are logistical stakes at play. A successful first edition of the Women's Club World Cup could set standards for how club soccer is marketed, packaged, and watched worldwide.
Seven teams have already qualified for the upcoming tournament, setting the tone for some of the world's most iconic football brands, including Arsenal (England), FC Barcelona (Spain), and Club América (Mexico). Gotham FC (USA), SC Corinthians (Brazil), Wuhan Jiangda WFC (China PR), and Naegohyang Women's FC (DPR Korea) round out the primary seven qualified teams.
That group blends traditional European powers with champions from across the globe, including a U.S.-based side Gotham FC and rising global powerhouse Club America from Mexico.
"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," said Bareman. "They will have the opportunity to tell their story, expand their fan base and represent their club on the world stage. They have thoroughly earned this opportunity to be part of history in the United States."
The complete confederation slots for the Club World Cup:
- UEFA: Six clubs
- AFC: Three clubs
- CAF: Three clubs
- Concacaf: Three clubs
- CONMEBOL: Three clubs
- OFC: One club
FIFA will prioritize continental champions from seasons ending in 2024 to 2027, in line with the FIFA council's previous decision on how clubs qualify for the inaugural Club World Cup. FIFA plans to work with confederations to establish club ranking methodologies based on sporting merit, and existing Concacaf and UEFA mechanisms will apply to those respective confederations for the inaugural edition.
With six qualifying slots for UEFA, the premier club competition champion qualifies, and the remaining spots are determined by club rankings. A cap of two clubs per member association typically applies, unless more than two clubs from the same country have won the UEFA Women's Champions League in the window.
Confederations with fewer than four slots will send their highest-ranked clubs from their respective premier competitions, with no country cap.
FIFA will review the access framework after the 2028 edition.
Money boost for Brazil and FIFA Champions Cup semifinals
Closer than the 2028 Club World Cup is the 2027 FIFA Women's Champions Cup. The second edition of FIFA's tournament for the six continental champions following the years between the Women's Club World Cup. The FIFA council moved to increase visibility by changing the semifinal dates.
The semifinals in Miami, Florida, will now be played on consecutive days at Nu Stadium, home of Inter Miami CF. On January 26, Club America will meet the winners of the AFC, CAF, or OFC round two tie. FC Barcelona will then face the winners for CONMEBOL's Libertadores Femenina on Janu. 27. The third-place match and championship final will feature as a double-header on Jan. 31.
Finally, the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil earned a significant financial boost following the meeting. The first-ever Women's World Cup tournament hosted in South America will receive increased financial distribution. Players, clubs, and member associations will receive the increases, including preparation money of $2.5 million -- matching the 2026 men's World Cup. The total amount was $1 million increase from the 2023 Women's World Cup.
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