Host and field

FIFA said on Thursday, 22 October 2026, that the United States will host the inaugural Women's Club World Cup, scheduled from 5 to 30 January 2028. The federation pointed to the country's experience organising FIFA tournaments, the quality of its infrastructure and services, and the level of stakeholder interest in women's football there. Reports differ on the size of the field, with one giving 16 clubs from all six continental confederations and others giving 19 teams. Seven places are already settled: Arsenal, Barcelona, Gotham FC, Corinthians, Club America, Naegohyang of North Korea, and Wuhan Jiangda of China. Remaining entries will depend on results in each confederation's main continental club competition across the seasons ending between 2024 and 2027.

Sarai Bareman, FIFA's chief women's football officer, explained the choice in terms of the country's record and its interest in the sport.

“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 also looked ahead to the field itself, and Al Jazeera reports that the slot leaves a clear window after the 2027 Women's World Cup and before the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

“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.”

Schedule and criticism

The tournament was first planned for 2026, but FIFA pushed it back two years after stakeholders said more time was needed. The Congress approved the first women's tournament in December 2025, and the announcement follows decisions taken by the FIFA Council on 15 October 2026. The January window falls in the middle of the European domestic season, which is likely to lengthen the winter break for Europe's top leagues. The January dates have drawn criticism: a Women's Super League spokesperson said in January 2026 that they could be catastrophic for the competition and claimed WSL Football was not consulted over the final dates. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman acknowledged the fundamental challenge of scheduling the event.

FIFA also moved the Champions Cup to 26-31 January 2027 in Miami, with its two semifinals on separate days to raise the tournament's visibility.

Brazil 2027 funding and player services

Brazil hosts the 2027 Women's World Cup from 24 June to 25 July 2027, and the FIFA Council has approved the financial distribution model for that tournament. The preparation payment to each participating member association rises to $2.5 million, the same amount teams received for the men's World Cup earlier this year. That money is to be made available before December 2026. Players at the Brazil tournament will receive the same services that the men had at the 2026 World Cup.

Men's calendar

Qatar will host the final three matches of the Intercontinental Cup, the new name for the former Club World Cup format. The schedule includes the derby of the Americas on 9 December 2026, the Challenger Cup on 12 December, which decides the challenger, and the final on 16 December, where holders Paris Saint-Germain already have a place. Separately, the 2027 Under-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan runs from 17 September to 9 October 2027.