FIFA has announced that the Women’s World Cup will be expanded from 32 to 48 teams from the 2031 edition.

The FIFA Council on Friday, unanimously agreed to enlarge the competition “given the remarkable recent strides made by women’s football across the world.”

The 48 teams will play a 12-group format and number of matches from 64 to 104, extending the tournament by one week.

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, explained that the expansion follows the success of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which was won by Spain.

“This is not just about having 16 more teams playing … but taking the next steps in relation to the women’s game in general by ensuring that more FIFA Member Associations have the chance to benefit from the tournament to develop their women’s football structures.

“This decision ensures we are maintaining the momentum in terms of growing women’s football globally,” Infantino said