The United States is set to host the world's best women's football clubs in a historic new tournament starting in January 2028, according to BBC Sport. Fifa has confirmed that the 19-team competition will take place from 5 to 30 January 2028, designed to echo the revamped men's Club World Cup and occur every four years.
According to BBC Sport, Arsenal has been named as one of seven teams set to play in the tournament, alongside Barcelona, Gotham, Club America, Corinthians, Naegohyang, and Wuhan Jiangda. A further 12 clubs will be determined at a later date, with six more European clubs selected to represent Uefa, three apiece for AFC, CAF, Concacaf, and Conmebol, and one from OFC.
Fifa's chief women's football officer Sarai Bareman told BBC Sport that the United States was chosen due to its recent excellence in staging top Fifa tournaments, significant interest in women's football, and elite sporting infrastructure.
Background
According to BBC Sport, the United States staged the men's Club World Cup in 2025 and co-hosted the men's World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada. The country is also scheduled to co-hosted the Women's World Cup with Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Mexico in 2031.
Earlier this year, BBC Sport reported that the Women's Super League described the scheduling of the Club World Cup as potentially "catastrophic". The tournament follows the introduction of the mid-season Champions Cup, which took place for the first time in February and was won by Arsenal.
Why it matters
For sports enthusiasts globally, the expansion of international club competitions highlights the growing scale and commercial footprint of women's football. While governing bodies emphasize global exposure and the opportunity for clubs to expand their fanbases, scheduling adjustments and tournament expansions continue to draw close attention from leagues regarding player welfare and domestic calendars, as reported by BBC Sport.