FIFA confirmed that the United States will host the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup, a tournament to be held from January 5 to 30, 2028, featuring 19 teams, including Club América Femenil, Barcelona, and Arsenal.
The announcement was made on Thursday, although world soccer’s governing body did not reveal the cities that will host the matches. Los Angeles and San Diego have been mentioned in various reports as possible host cities, but FIFA declined to confirm that information.
Dame Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s director of women’s soccer, explained that the selection was based on the United States’ experience in organizing international competitions, the interest in women’s soccer, and the country’s sports infrastructure.
The designation expands the United States’ role as a host of international tournaments, following the 2025 Men’s Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup. In addition, the United States will co-host the 2031 Women’s World Cup, a bid that is still awaiting formal approval from FIFA.
Women’s Soccer Has Already Secured Its Spot
Seven clubs have already secured their spots in the tournament’s inaugural edition, representing different regions of the world.
The confirmed teams are Arsenal Women FC from England; Club América Femenil from Mexico; FC Barcelona Femení from Spain; Gotham FC from the United States; Naegohyang Women’s FC from North Korea; SC Corinthians from Brazil; and Wuhan Jiangda WFC from China.
The allocation of spots approved by FIFA includes six spots for UEFA, three for the AFC, three for the CAF, three for CONCACAF, and three for CONMEBOL. The OFC will have one representative.
The organization also established that if a club wins multiple editions of the UEFA Women’s Champions League between 2024 and 2027, the additional spots will be allocated according to the club rankings.
That system will also be used to determine which confederation champions will earn their spots in the competition.
FIFA Increases Funding for the 2027 Women’s World Cup
During the same announcement, FIFA reported that each federation participating in the 2027 Women’s World Cup will receive $2.5 million to prepare its national team—the same amount allocated to teams for the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
This figure represents a significant increase from the $960,000 allocated to each team for preparation for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
FIFA added that the female players participating in the 2027 tournament will receive benefits equivalent to those of their male counterparts during the 2026 World Cup. Additionally, a specific portion of any surplus funds will be set aside exclusively for the players.
At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, each player was guaranteed a minimum of $30,000 for her participation.
With the selection of the United States and the first qualified clubs, FIFA is moving forward with the organization of a tournament that will bring together teams from different confederations in January 2028.