May 12 – Following the expansion of the FIFA men’s World Cup to 48 teams, the FIFA Council has unanimously approved plans to increase the Women’s World Cup (WWC) to the same number of participating countries.
The expansion will take place at the 2031 edition, which is expected to be hosted by the United States should they win what looks like an uncontested bid for hosting rights.
The 48-team FIFA Women’s World Cup will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104 and extending the tournament by one week.
To provide some context into the staggering growth of the women’s game, in 1991 at the first WWC in China there were only 12 participating nations with the U.S. coming out on top for the first of their five titles.
The growth since 1991 has been impressive – expanding to 16 in 1999 in the US, then 24 in 2015 in Canada, and 32 teams for the most recent tournament in 2023, co-sted by Australia and New Zealand.
“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.”
On Friday, FIFPro said it supported the rapid expansion.
“In principle, FIFPro welcomes the expansion of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, as it reflects the global growth of the women’s game.
“However, the support of players depends on inclusive decision-making and cooperative planning that respects all stakeholders.
“It is critical that the global development of women’s competitions goes hand in hand with improved labour conditions and the advancement of players, as well as development further down the pyramid. This is the only path to true sustainability, expansion, and progress.”
While FIFA is busy patting itself on the back and dishing out press releases filled with corporate-speak about “holistic” approaches, there’s an elephant in the room that Infantino isn’t addressing. What happens to the quality of the competition?
We’ve all witnessed those painful 13-0 drubbings in previous tournaments. Is this what fans are supposed to get excited about – watching established powerhouses running up cricket scores against nations still finding their footing in the women’s game.
The women’s game deserves better than becoming a number-padding exercise for FIFA executives looking to trumpet “record-breaking” tournaments. True development requires patience and strategic investment across all confederations, not just expanding a tournament for expansion’s sake.
FIFA might be celebrating now, but the real test will come when those cameras start rolling in 2031. Will we see competitive fixtures throughout or a month-long procession for the elite nations until the knockout rounds finally deliver some tension?
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