Following the men’s World Cup in Doha last year, Qatar has been building on its efforts to become a global football center by hosting other international events such as the recent FIFA Intercontinental Cup in Al-Rayyan and the next men’s Finalissima with Spain and Argentina. In addition to the aforementioned events and their association with FIFA, Qatar has developed a reputation as a successful host of international football events due to the availability of world-class venues for such events and the favorable winter climate in the region.
The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will include 16 top women’s clubs from around the world
Qatar is viewed strategically as one of the primary contenders for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup to be held in early 2028.
A minimum of 5 top-tier European teams (i.e., UEFA Champions League) will receive automatic qualification, along with 2 teams from each of Asia, Africa, South America, and North America.
The remaining 3 spots will be filled through playoff matches among all of these confederations, plus Oceania.
The planned January start date could disrupt domestic soccer schedules
The planned January start date could disrupt domestic soccer schedules, especially in Europe. Given the growing issue of international fixtures, this added pressure could negatively affect the well-being of players as well as the stability of professional leagues in countries whose leagues overlap with the Women’s Club World Cup. For example, leagues in Japan, Australia, and Mexico may experience some disruption.
At this time, FIFA has neither accepted any formal bids
FIFA has also not indicated that a formal bidding process will occur. However, Qatar appears to be the most actively engaged candidate at present; additionally, Saudi Arabia has expressed its own interest in hosting the Women’s Club World Cup, although its commitment to hosting the Spanish Super Cup in January 2028 may create a conflict of interest.
Other Gulf states may choose to express similar interests; however, the fact that Qatar has already invested considerable resources into developing football infrastructure, possesses a favorable winter climate, and has multiple top-tier stadiums clustered in a compact geographic area likely provides it with a competitive advantage.
Additionally, the compact nature of Qatar’s infrastructure will minimize the amount of time required for teams, officials, and fans to travel between venues during the tournament — an aspect that experts involved in organizing previous events have identified as a key advantage.
FIFA still needs to address some logistical issues
Ultimately, FIFA must still tend to several logistical issues associated with launching the Women’s Club World Cup, including determining entry requirements, establishing a scheduling framework, and developing a process for selecting participating venues.
When making these decisions, FIFA will need to consider a variety of factors, including the degree to which the selected venues are prepared for hosting such an event, the extent to which the host country has committed to upholding human rights, and how culturally compatible the host country is with the values of women’s football.
Should Qatar ultimately be awarded the right to host the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup, it would represent another step forward for Qatar’s efforts to expand its sports-related influence internationally. Nevertheless, Qatar must navigate its global sensitivities on women’s rights and secure the support of various stakeholders if the Women’s Club World Cup is to be considered a successful and legitimate event.
With proven infrastructure and a strong relationship with FIFA, Qatar is the frontrunner for the historic bid. Nonetheless, the plan includes complex implications, namely, fixture conflicts with domestic soccer leagues, social policy, and the long-term trajectory of women’s football. There are fewer than two years left before the launch of the ground-breaking competition.
