Reports: Women's World Cup expected to expand to 48 teams

Field Level Media|published: 05/09/2025, 1:12pm EDT

Aug 20, 2023; Sydney, AUSTRALIA; Spain World Champions FIFA Women s World Cup 2023 Final Spain v England at Stadium Australia (Accor Stadium) 20 August 2023, Sydney, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Keith McInnes/Sipa USA via Imagn Images

The Women's World Cup is expected to expand to 48 teams under a proposal approved Friday at a meeting of the FIFA Council, multiple media outlets reported.

The full FIFA Congress is scheduled to vote on the motion on Thursday in Asuncion, Paraguay, where approval is expected to be a formality.

Once given the go-ahead, the expansion from 32 countries would take effect with the 2031 tournament. While the host will not be awarded until next year, the United States is the only nation to have made a bid.

The men's field also is set to expand to 48 countries at the 2026 World Cup, to be contested in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

The women's field increased to 32 teams for the 2023 event, played in Australia and New Zealand and won by Spain.

The next Women's World Cup will take place in Brazil in summer 2027.

--Field Level Media