FIFA seems to have finally received the memo that women's soccer cannot anymore be looked upon as an adjunct activity. By launching the Women's Champions Cup and going formal with the Women's Club World Cup, FIFA is laying more emphasis globally and taking it a step closer towards staging competition that can make a difference in the sport. What do all these changes imply though? Are these new competitions here to bank growth, or just to catch a timetable?
Based on the announcements made, there are optimistic elements, glaring issues and inevitable suspicions. FIFA is going whole hog, but the success of these competitions will not be guaranteed on paper.
Women's Champions Cup
The Women's Champions Cup, which is introduced for the first time in 2026, will bring together the six continental champions of women's soccer. The tournament will be staged three times within the existing FIFA cycle, with matches scheduled in 2026, 2027 and 2029.
The first edition will feature the 2025 continental champions and, on grounds of format, the Concacaf, Conmebol and UEFA Women's Champions League teams will enter directly at the semi-final stage. This is used to show the disparity in the development of the continents, one which FIFA tries to diminish but one which remains.
The issue is whether the Women's Champions Cup will be a calendar tournament or a high-profile tournament. Women's soccer is already beset with poorly organized competitions, empty tournaments and disorganization in some of the world. FIFA needs to ensure that this competition is meaningful and a milestone for clubs and players, and not just another cup to compete for with no influence on the growth of the sport.
The Women's Club World Cup and final evidence for FIFA
If the Women's Champions Cup is going to remain questionable to the general population, then the Women's Club World Cup is the one event that indeed does possess the capability of turning the sport upside down. Having 16 club entries and all confederations getting an automatic entry, this competition can theoretically offer women's soccer what it most needs: global exposure and an honorable system of competition.
FIFA's planned format would involve:
- Five European places, taking into account the region's dominance in women's soccer.
- Two South American, which has not done well despite its Women's Libertadores heritage, because of weak structural investment.
- Two for Africa, Asia and Concacaf, respecting the development in these regions.
- Three to be fought for in an initial round which could be an intriguing blend of teams from emerging markets.
What is missing? A host country. There is not yet a decision on where the tournament shall be held, and this will be of utmost importance. An ill-conceived World Cup can undercut the success of the competition in its first year. FIFA needs a host venue that guarantees infrastructure, an audience and media presence, or the whole undertaking to create this competition, might dissipate at once.
Women's soccer needs system, not tournaments alone
Announcing such events is good, no question. But women's soccer never suffered from an issue of an absence of tournaments, but that there was no consistent system that would ensure the tournaments thrive in a way which would help everyone in the long run.
It is not possible to talk about evolution without talking about investment, sponsorship and a well-thought-out calendar. If FIFA wants the Women's Champions Cup and the Club World Cup to become benchmarks, it needs to ensure that clubs are able to compete at a high level. That means:
Is FIFA ready for this evolution?
Women's soccer has made a big leap in recent times. But in order to really grow, it needs tournaments that hold true significance within the calendar and within the market. If the Women's Champions Cup and Women's Club World Cup are organized well, they can enhance the level of the game and make it more attractive to clubs, sponsors and fans.
But if they are only set up as a knee-jerk response to the growth of the sport, and not with the groundwork that they must have in order to last, then they are likely to be just another fleeting tournament, with little or no effect on the growth of women's soccer.
FIFA took the initial step. Now it needs to prove it's not just another marketing gimmick. Women's soccer deserves so much more than lip service, and it should have a well-thought-out future.