• FIFA has approved an expansion of the Women's World Cup from 32 to 48 teams starting in 2031.
• The tournament will feature a new 12-group format, increasing matches to 104.
• FIFA President Infantino emphasized the expansion as a step for global women's football growth.
• The next Women's World Cup in 2027 will maintain the 32-team format.
• Players' union FIFPRO supported the decision but stressed the need for inclusive planning.

The FIFA Council has officially approved the expansion of the Women's World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, set to begin with the 2031 edition. This historic decision, made during a recent virtual meeting, will see the tournament adopting a new 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104, similar to the men's World Cup schedule implemented for the first time in 2026, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said, "This is not just about having 16 more teams... but taking the next steps in relation to the women's game in general." He noted that this expansion aims to provide more FIFA member associations with opportunities to enhance their women's football structures and support broader representation in elite competition, according to Reuters and Africanews.

The 2027 Women's World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in Brazil, will maintain the 32-team format, while FIFA plans to confirm the United States and United Kingdom as hosts for the 2031 and 2035 tournaments respectively. The decision to expand comes after the positive reception of the 2023 edition, which showcased teams from various confederations achieving competitive success, according to Africanews and Reuters.

Moreover, the global players' union FIFPRO expressed support for the tournament's expansion, emphasizing the importance of "inclusive decision-making and cooperative planning" to ensure that growth in women’s competitions coincides with improving labor conditions for players, according to Reuters and Africanews.