2028 Women's Club World Cup lineup starts with Arsenal and Barcelona
Seven clubs have been confirmed for FIFA’s first Women’s Club World Cup, giving the new tournament an early global shape before its 2028 debut in the United States.
The 2028 Women's Club World Cup has its first confirmed entrants, with Arsenal and Barcelona among seven clubs already qualified for FIFA’s inaugural global women’s club tournament. The competition will be staged in the United States from Jan. 5–30 in 2028 and will feature 19 of the best women’s clubs from around the world.
FIFA has selected the United States to host the first edition, with the Women’s Club World Cup to be played every four years after that. The early list of qualified clubs already spans Europe, North America, South America and Asia.
Arsenal and Barcelona headline the first confirmed clubs
England’s Arsenal and Spain’s Barcelona are the most familiar names for many followers of European football among the first seven clubs named by FIFA.
Their inclusion gives the tournament an immediate European profile, but the confirmed field is not limited to the established power centres of the women’s game. FIFA’s first qualified list also includes clubs from Mexico, the United States, Brazil, China and North Korea.
Seven clubs already qualified
FIFA said seven teams have already secured places at the inaugural tournament. They are:
- Arsenal from England
- Barcelona from Spain
- América from Mexico
- Gotham FC from the U.S.
- Corinthians from Brazil
- Wuhan Jiangda from China
- Naegohyang from North Korea
The full competition will bring together 19 clubs, making the remaining places a key part of the build-up to the first edition. The confirmed teams already show FIFA’s intention to create a tournament with genuine global representation rather than a field drawn only from one or two regions.
United States chosen for the launch edition
The United States will stage the tournament across Jan. 5–30, 2028. FIFA said it opted to return to the U.S. following the successful hosting of both this year's men's World Cup and the men's Club World Cup in 2025.
Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s chief women’s football officer, said the country’s recent record of staging FIFA events and the domestic interest in the women’s game were central to the decision.
"Ultimately, the United States’ recent excellence in staging top FIFA tournaments, combined with the significant interest in women’s football there plus its elite sporting infrastructure, made the country the standout option."
What comes next
The inaugural Women’s Club World Cup now has a host country, a confirmed window and its first seven qualified clubs. The next major step will be the completion of the 19-team field as the tournament moves toward its January 2028 debut.
For Arsenal, Barcelona, América, Gotham FC, Corinthians, Wuhan Jiangda and Naegohyang, the announcement confirms a place in FIFA’s first worldwide women’s club competition and a chance to be part of a new four-year cycle in the women’s game.