Women's Club World Cup dates confirmed for January 2028
Valerenga's Mawa Sesay, left, and Paris FC's Celina Ould Hocine, right, challenge for the ball during the Women's Champions League football match between Valerenga and Paris FC in Oslo, Norway, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. Credit: AP/Thomas Andersen
DOHA, Qatar — The inaugural Women’s Club World Cup will be staged in January 2028, FIFA said Wednesday.
No host nation has been confirmed, but the tournament — Jan. 5-30 — likely will be staged in a country with a warm climate at that time of the year.
In March, FIFA confirmed plans for a 16-team Club World Cup, following on from the expanded men's Club World Cup, which was held in the United States this past summer.
World soccer’s governing body approved the dates at a meeting of its council in Doha, Qatar.
The timings mean the tournament would clash with top European domestic league seasons such as the Women's Super League in England, but not the Women's Champions League, which takes a break during January. America's NWSL would be in its offseason.
The competition will feature four groups of four and then a knockout stage from the quarterfinals on.
There is also a six-team “play-in” phase when three teams will advance to the competition proper.
Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati, right, and her teammates leave the pitch at the the end of the women's Champions League opening phase soccer match between Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona, in London, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. Credit: AP/Kin Cheung
Europe will be guaranteed five teams in the tournament, while the Asia, Africa, Concacaf and South America will have two each.
All five confederations, as well as Oceania will make up the six entrants in the “play-in” phase.
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