FIFA have announced the introduction of two new women’s football competitions – the Women’s Club World Cup and the Women’s Champions Cup.
This marks a historic milestone within the women’s game, as all six confederations will be involved in a global tournament for the first time. As a result, this could help to increase the visibility of lesser-known clubs and strengthen the pathway to enable these teams to compete on the international stage. This could help the growth of women’s football in various countries due to the increased media coverage, especially those that have never hosted a major tournament before.
The Women’s Club World Cup is a 16-team tournament involving teams from all six confederations. It will be held every four years, with the first edition of the competition set to take place in 2028. This will mean that many players will take part in two major tournaments in one year, with the Olympics also taking place in 2028.
It’s likely that all clubs partaking in this competition will have to meet a minimum standards expectation, set by FIFA.
Furthermore, the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup is a six-team tournament which will involve the winners of each confederation. This competition is set to take place in January 2026 for the first time.T his tournament is set to take place annually, excluding years when the World Cup is held.
The introduction of these new tournaments has been welcomed by many, however there are growing concerns over player welfare amid an increasingly congested fixture schedule.
This follows criticism of the schedule during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where quick turnarounds and a lack of recovery time resulted in a high number of injuries sustained throughout the tournament.
Furthermore, FIFA’s decision to add more international breaks into the calendar has also led to increased load on players and therefore a higher risk of injury.
This raises questions over the sustainability of the women’s football schedule and whether adjustments need to be made to ease load on players. Therefore, regular communication between governing bodies such as FIFA and clubs could help to ensure that these decisions are made with player welfare at the forefront. Ultimately, prioritising the health and longevity of athletes is essential to preserving the growth and integrity of the women’s game.
https://www.fifa.com/en/news/articles/womens-champions-cup-club-world-cup-timelines-formats
