USA Set to Host Inaugural Women’s Club World Cup in 2028

The United States is on track to stage the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup in January 2028, marking another significant milestone for FIFA tournaments in North America. Advanced discussions have earmarked Los Angeles and San Diego as the prime candidates to host this groundbreaking event. This tournament will follow in the footsteps of last year's expanded men’s tournament, held in a nation that also hosted the men's World Cup this summer. Although an official agreement is still pending, the US is set to organize the 19-team competition without needing to go through a formal bidding process, despite previous talks with Qatar about hosting. Scheduled for winter, the Club World Cup aims to sidestep a clash with the men’s Copa America, which the US is expected to host in June and July 2028. However, this busy calendar could be a challenge for the world’s elite players, as the tournament falls between the 2027 Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, requiring teams to field their strongest lineups. Many top clubs are advocating for a rule change that would limit players to one international tournament annually, whether representing their club or country. FIFA is eager to utilize the Club World Cup as a test run for the 2031 Women’s World Cup, which the US will co-host alongside Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica, pending formal approval at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress on November 23. The organization is particularly focused on evaluating stadium capacities, ticket pricing, and demand for this smaller 19-team event ahead of the much larger 48-team World Cup three years later. With the tournament set to kick off on January 5, 2028, time is of the essence for planning and marketing efforts. Sources indicate that the ongoing turmoil within FIFA’s leadership, particularly following Gianni Infantino's controversial FFE initiative, has contributed to delays in finalizing hosting decisions. In July, Europe’s top clubs threatened to withdraw from future Club World Cups unless the FFE project was abandoned. They also warned that this stance would remain until a joint agreement between European clubs and FIFA—a plan still in outline form—was finalized before any television rights for the women’s event could be sold. Another tournament awaiting confirmation is the 2029 men’s Club World Cup. While the US has shown interest in hosting that competition as well, if the women’s event is confirmed, it is more likely to be co-hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal prior to their joint hosting of the men’s World Cup the following year.