FIFA announces Women's Champions Cup competition, pushes Women's Club World Cup to 2028
FIFA has announced the creation of the FIFA Women's Champions Cup, which is scheduled to debut in 2026. Additionally, the launch of the Women's Club World Cup was originally planned for 2026 but has been postponed until 2028. These new competitions aim to redefine women's football on a global scale.
The 2026 Women's Champions Cup will feature six teams, each representing the winners from different confederations. This tournament is scheduled to take place from January to February 2026. The Women's Champions Cup will be held annually, except in years when the Women's Club World Cup occurs.
“Women’s football has reached new heights at national-team level, and now it’s time for global competitions that showcase the best clubs from around the world. These FIFA competitions will stimulate growth, inspire athletes, create new rivalries, engage more fans and crown heroes from all over the world,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the media release.
As per a FIFA media release, the Women's Club World Cup will take place every four years starting in 2028. It will be a platform for inclusivity, featuring 13 teams that qualify directly from the six confederations and three additional teams that will earn their spot through a play-in tournament. This ensures a rich and diverse representation of women's football from all corners of the globe.
FIFA Women's Champions Cup
FIFA has announced the new FIFA Women's Champions Cup, featuring the six continental club champions from the season to compete in this international tournament. The six leagues include:
- AFC Women’s Champions League
- CAF Women’s Champions League
- Concacaf W Champions Cup
- CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina
- OFC Women’s Champions League
- UEFA Women’s Champions League
The preliminary stage of the competition will consist of two knockout rounds. In Round 1, the AFC champions will host the OFC champions. The winner of Round 1 will then face the CAF champions in Round 2. The winner of Round 2 will advance to a Final Four stage held at a neutral venue.
In the Final Four, one winner will face the UEFA champions, while the other match will see the Concacaf champions compete against the CONMEBOL champions. The victors of the semi-final matchups will proceed to the championship, while the runners-up will compete for third place.
FIFA Women's Club World Cup
The inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup is scheduled to take place in 2028. The tournament will feature 22 teams representing various leagues. Six teams will compete in the play-In stage, and three of those teams will advance to join the field of 16 teams in the Group Stage. The Group Stage will be divided into four groups: Group A, Group B, Group C, and Group D. The teams will play in a single-elimination format to determine which teams advance to the knockout stage.
"These are more than just new tournaments - these are drivers for the future of our sport that will raise standards, provide invaluable opportunities for growth and local development, and generate new revenue – all on a global scale," Jill Ellis, FIFA's Chief Football Officer and the only two-time winning FIFA Women's World Cup head coach, said in the media release.