By Victor Kanayo
Global football governing body, FIFA, has announced that the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup will take place in January and February 2026.
According to FIFA via a statement after its Congress in Bangkok on Wednesday, the 16-team tournament will be held every four years and fall during the domestic season for European leagues, between the Women’s Champions League group stages and the knockout rounds.
The USA’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season usually begins in March.
Fifa also announced its intention to create a global women’s club competition in December 2022.
Barcelona are the current European champions, NY Gotham FC the reigning NWSL champions and Brazilian side Corinthians are the holders of the Copa Libertadores Femenina.
READ ALSO: FIFA Announces Plans For Inaugural Women’s Club World Cup, Appoints Secretary-General
The Fifa congress also approved a new international match calendar from 2026-29 with the aim of providing players with more opportunities for rest and recovery by reducing the number of international breaks from six to five.
“The women’s international match calendar and the subsequent amendments to our regulations represent an important milestone in our pledge to take the women’s game to the next level by enhancing competitiveness across the world,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
The first edition of the expanded men’s Club World Cup tournament – which will also be staged every four years – is scheduled for next summer.
The FIFA congress is also set to vote for the host of the 2027 Women’s World Cup with Brazil up against a joint bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, FIFA has appointed Mattias Grafström as its substantive Secretary General.
Heritage Times HT reports that his appointment was sequel to his nomination on an interim basis in October 2023.
The Sweden/Netherlands national now takes over from Fatma Samoura who stepped down last year.
