Football's global governing body, FIFA, has officially confirmed the launch of the inaugural Women's Club World Cup, with the tournament scheduled to begin in January 2028. The competition will be held mid-season for Europe's top domestic leagues, marking a significant new chapter for the women's game.
Tournament Format and Qualification
The structure for the new global club competition has been finalised. Initially, six teams will compete in a play-in stage, with the three victorious sides advancing to join 13 other clubs in the group phase.
The group stage will then see 16 teams divided into four groups of four. The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout rounds, culminating in a final to crown the first-ever world club champion from the women's game.
In terms of qualification slots, the AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North and Central America), and CONMEBOL (South America) confederations will each receive two direct entries. UEFA (Europe) will have the largest allocation with five berths.
Schedule Shift and New Champions Cup
This announcement follows a decision earlier in 2025 to push the tournament back from its original 2026 start date. FIFA stated the delay to 2028 was to give stakeholders more preparation time and to ease pressure on players facing a congested fixture calendar.
To fill the gap created by the postponement, FIFA created a separate competition called the FIFA Women's Champions Cup. This event will feature the six reigning continental club champions. Its semi-finals and final are already set to be hosted in London in January 2026.
Implications for Domestic Leagues
The scheduling of the Club World Cup in January presents a complex challenge for fixture planners. While it conveniently falls during the off-season for the United States' NWSL Championship, it will directly disrupt the middle of the campaign for major European leagues, including England's Women's Super League (WSL).
Clubs from these leagues will need to release key players for the international tournament, potentially affecting domestic title races and cup competitions. The host nation for the inaugural 2028 edition remains unconfirmed, with FIFA expected to announce the location in due course.
