Approved! FIFA Women’s World Cup expanded to 32 teams

The FIFA Women’s World Cup has officially been expanded from 24 teams to 32, after the world football governing council announced the approval.

The FIFA Council late Wednesday unanimously agreed to expand the number of teams that will participate in the next edition of the tournament in 2023.

The body says it has made the decision following the “astounding success” of this year’s World Cup held in France last month.

President Gianni Infantino had made the proposal of increasing the participating teams after the France tournament.

He says the aim of the expansion is to “keep the momentum going and take concrete steps to foster the growth of women’s football.”

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He added: “The expansion reaches far beyond the eight additional participating teams: it means that, from now on, dozens more member associations will organise their women’s football programme knowing they have a realistic chance of qualifying.

“The Women’s World Cup is the most powerful trigger for the professionalisation of the women’s game, but it comes just once every four years and is only the top of a much greater pyramid.

“In the meantime, we all have a duty to do the groundwork and strengthen women’s football development infrastructure across all confederations.”

The bidding process for hosts of the 2023 edition is already underway, as nine countries are expected to submit bids.

The host country will be announced in May 2020.

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