The 2027 Women’s World Cup has officially claimed its calendar spot, with FIFA announcing Tuesday that the tournament’s Brazil-hosted 10th edition — the first-ever in South America — will run from June 24th through July 25th.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 is already taking shape and we can’t wait for the opening match,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Looking to break 2023’s record-setting attendance and viewership numbers, Infantino also noted, “This historic tournament will have a massive impact not only in South America, but around the whole world, taking the women’s game to the next level in terms of participation and popularity.”
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Prepping for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers
The international soccer governing body also allocated the competition’s 32 available spots, with CONMEBOL’s Brazil earning automatic entry as one of the three slots granted to the continental confederation.
UEFA leads the pool with 11 teams, followed by AFC with six, CAF and Concacaf with four each, and OFC’s one.
The final three squads will be determined by a 10-team, two-round play-in tournament taking place in late 2026 and February 2027.
The road to Brazil kicks off in 2025
With details including host cities and venues still to come, the road to the 2027 World Cup is ramping up with qualifying matches looming just around the corner.
Next year’s UEFA Nations League play will determine the 11 European teams bound for Brazil, including 2023 world champions Spain. Meanwhile, the path to a fifth star for the world No. 1 USWNT crest begins with Concacaf W Qualifiers in late 2025.
Similarly, 2025 qualifying matches for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup and 2026 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off World Cup entrances for teams in those federations. CONMEBOL will look to the 2025 Copa América tournament to determine the remaining two entrants that will compete alongside host Brazil, while OFC is likely to set their World Cup qualifying matches for next year.
Superstar exits pave the way for new World Cup stars
Both expected and surprise entrants will book their 2027 World Cup spots over the next two years, but the Brazil tournament’s sidelines are already set to feature fresh faces after a flood of soccer greats called game in 2024.
The host nation will compete in their first World Cup since 1999 without legendary attacker Marta, whose 17 goals lead the tournament’s all-time scoring list.
Canada is suffering the same fate with 2027 marking the first edition in 28 years without leading international goalscorer Christine Sinclair.
Two-time trophy-winners Germany — the only team other than the US with more than one world title — recently bid adieu to star Alexandra Popp, who retired as a four-time World Cup competitor.
As for the USWNT, they’ll look to follow their 2024 Olympic gold medal with a 2027 World Cup title, but without star striker Alex Morgan, defender Kelley O’Hara, or goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who followed 2023 retirees Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz out the door this year.
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