New Delhi, May 10 (HS): In a major step towards promoting women’s football on a global scale, FIFA announced on Friday that starting from 2031, the Women’s World Cup will feature 48 teams instead of 32. The FIFA Council approved this proposal in a virtual meeting.
According to FIFA, this new format with 48 teams will create 12 groups, and the total number of matches will increase to 104, the same as the men’s World Cup in 2026. The duration of the tournament will also be extended by one week. Currently, the 2027 Women’s World Cup will take place in Brazil, featuring 32 teams. The 2023 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand was the first time 32 teams participated.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated, It’s not just about adding 16 extra teams; it is the next step in the overall development of women’s football. This will provide more FIFA member countries the opportunity to develop the framework of women’s football.
It is reported that the USA is the sole bidder to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup. If confirmed, this will mark the third time the USA will host this tournament, having previously done so in 1999 and 2003. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has the sole bid for hosting the 2035 World Cup. However, a final decision regarding the hosting of both tournaments has yet to be made.
Infantino also addressed concerns regarding potential one-sided matches due to the inclusion of 48 teams. He stated, The 2023 World Cup demonstrated that teams from all confederations have now become competitive. For the first time, teams from all confederations won at least one match, and teams from five confederations reached the knockout stage.
FIFA believes that this decision will help elevate women’s football to new heights on a global level.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
