FIFA Names Seven Clubs for Inaugural Women’s Club World Cup in 2028

FIFA has confirmed that the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup will take place in the United States from January 5 to 30, 2028, with Arsenal among seven clubs already securing places in the historic competition.

According to BBC Sport, the tournament will feature 19 teams and take place every four years, creating a new global platform for women’s club football. The competition is expected to bring together leading clubs from different continents to compete for the inaugural title.

The seven clubs confirmed so far are Arsenal, Barcelona, Gotham FC, Club América, Corinthians, Naegohyang and Wuhan Jiangda. The remaining 12 places will be filled later as the qualification process progresses.

FIFA chief women’s football officer Sarai Bareman said the United States emerged as the preferred host because of its experience staging major football tournaments, strong interest in the women’s game and established sporting infrastructure.

“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,” Bareman said.

She said the competition would give participating clubs an opportunity to showcase their talent internationally, build larger fanbases and introduce their stories to new audiences. Bareman added that the confirmed teams had earned the chance to be part of the tournament’s first edition.

Under the reported allocation, UEFA will receive six additional places, while the Asian Football Confederation, Confederation of African Football, Concacaf and South American Football Confederation will each have three representatives. Oceania’s football confederation will receive one place.

The United States has extensive experience hosting major football events, having staged the men’s Club World Cup in 2025. It is also set to co-host the 2026 men’s FIFA World Cup with Mexico and Canada, while the country is scheduled to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup alongside Costa Rica, Jamaica and Mexico.

However, the timing of the new tournament has prompted concerns about its impact on the domestic women’s football calendar. The Women’s Super League previously described the scheduling as potentially “catastrophic”, amid fears that another major competition could place additional demands on players and clubs during an already busy season.

The Women’s Club World Cup is the second new mid-season women’s club competition introduced by FIFA in recent years. The Women’s Champions Cup was held for the first time in February, with Arsenal winning the inaugural edition. The new global tournament is expected to further expand opportunities for women’s clubs to compete on an international stage.