USA to host first Women’s Club World Cup in 2028

The United States will host the first FIFA Women’s Club World Cup from January 5 to 30, 2028. Arsenal is among seven clubs already confirmed for this historic tournament.

According to BBC Sport on Thursday, FIFA announced that the 19-team competition will happen every four years. The format will be similar to the new men’s Club World Cup.

The clubs confirmed for the tournament include Arsenal, Barcelona, Gotham FC, Club América, Corinthians, Naegohyang, and Wuhan Jiangda. The remaining 12 teams will be decided later.

FIFA picked the United States to host due to its recent experience with major international football events. There is also growing interest in women’s football and strong sporting facilities in the country.

FIFA's chief women’s football officer Sarai Bareman said the US was the best choice for the first edition.

"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 also mentioned that the tournament will give clubs a chance to show their skills and reach new fans around the world.

"These seven clubs, and a dozen more, will come together to show the strength and depth of women’s club football to a global audience," she said.

"They will have the opportunity to tell their story, expand their fanbase and represent their club on the world stage. They have thoroughly earned this opportunity to be part of history in the United States."

Six more European clubs will qualify to represent UEFA. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Confederation of African Football (CAF), Concacaf, and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) will each have three teams. Oceania’s football confederation (OFC) will have one club.

The United States hosted the men’s Club World Cup in 2025. It will also co-host the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2026 with Mexico and Canada. The country will host the 2031 Women’s World Cup alongside Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Mexico.

But the timing of this new women’s competition has raised worries in the domestic game. Earlier this year, the Women’s Super League (WSL) said the Club World Cup's schedule could be “catastrophic.” They are concerned about the effect of another major tournament during the women’s football calendar.

This tournament will be the second new mid-season women’s club competition FIFA has introduced in recent years. The first was the Women’s Champions Cup, held for the first time in February and won by Arsenal.