US to Host First FIFA Women’s Club World Cup in January 2028
FIFA picked the United States to stage the first Women's Club World Cup, a 19-team event set for Jan. 5-30, 2028, with Arsenal and Gotham FC already in.
The United States will host the first FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, soccer’s world governing body announced Thursday. The 19-team tournament will run from Jan. 5 to 30, 2028, and seven clubs have already qualified, among them England’s Arsenal, Spain’s Barcelona and New Jersey-based Gotham FC.
The decision adds another major event to an American calendar that already includes the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and a likely co-hosting role at the 2031 Women’s World Cup. FIFA has not yet named host cities. ESPN reported that Los Angeles and San Diego had been mentioned as candidates in earlier reports, but a FIFA spokesperson declined to confirm any venues.
What FIFA announced
Dame Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s chief women’s football officer, said the country’s track record was decisive. According to ESPN, she pointed to the United States’ “recent excellence in staging top FIFA tournaments,” the strong interest in women’s soccer there and its sporting infrastructure, which together made it “the standout option.”
Agence France-Presse reported that Bareman said the qualified clubs “have thoroughly earned this opportunity to be part of history in the United States.” FIFA’s statement described the event as a major milestone for the professionalization of the women’s club game, one that would give elite teams a world stage to compete on every four years.
The seven clubs confirmed so far, which earned their places by winning continental competitions over the past two seasons, are:
- Arsenal (England)
- Barcelona (Spain)
- Gotham FC (United States)
- Club América (Mexico)
- Corinthians (Brazil)
- Wuhan Jiangda (China)
- Naegohyang (North Korea)
The 19 places are split among FIFA’s six regional confederations. Europe’s governing body, UEFA, gets six; the confederations for Asia, Africa, North and Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), and South America (CONMEBOL) get three each; and Oceania gets one. The Athletic reported that the remaining slots will go to continental champions crowned this season, with any leftover spots filled using a club ranking system. UEFA is generally limited to two clubs per country unless more than two of its clubs win continental titles in the qualifying window, the outlet said. AFP and ESPN both described the field as 19 teams; The Athletic’s account of how some places will be paired off was less clear, and FIFA has yet to publish a full match format.
A crowded and contested calendar
The January window has drawn criticism in Europe because it falls in the middle of the club season. The Athletic reported that a spokesperson for WSL Football, which runs England’s top women’s league, the Women’s Super League, called the dates potentially “catastrophic” and said FIFA had not consulted the organization on the final schedule.
The view from the US domestic league is more mixed. Jessica Berman, commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), told The Athletic that the timing “doesn’t disrupt our season,” since the NWSL is in its offseason in January. She cautioned, however, that American clubs coming off a long break could be at a competitive disadvantage against European sides in mid-season form.
The tournament was originally scheduled for 2026. FIFA pushed it back two years after stakeholders asked for more time, placing it after the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, which runs from June 24 to July 25, 2027, and before the Los Angeles Olympics, set for July 14-30, 2028. FIFA’s congress formally approved the competition in December 2025, The Athletic reported.
Background: FIFA’s push in the women’s game
The announcement follows a run of major FIFA events on American soil. The United States hosted the expanded men’s Club World Cup in 2025 and co-hosted the men’s World Cup with Canada and Mexico earlier this year. ESPN noted that the US is also part of an uncontested bid, alongside Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica, to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup, which is expected to receive formal FIFA approval next month.
FIFA already runs a smaller annual women’s club competition, the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, which completed its first edition in January. ESPN reported that Miami will host a scaled-down version of that event in January 2027.
The Club World Cup news came alongside a separate funding announcement. FIFA said each national association at the 2027 Women’s World Cup will receive $2.5 million in preparation money, the same amount teams received for the 2026 men’s tournament. According to ESPN, the figure for the 2023 Women’s World Cup was $960,000 per team. FIFA also said players in Brazil will receive the same level of services, such as travel and accommodation, as men’s players did in 2026.
What comes next
FIFA still has to name host cities and stadiums, release the competition format and fill the 12 remaining places as continental tournaments finish this season. How European leagues adjust their schedules around a month-long January event is likely to remain a point of tension between FIFA and domestic competitions in the months ahead.
