Women's World Cup 2027: Host, Dates, and What's at Stake

On 17 May 2024, FIFA announced Brazil won the hosting rights for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It will be the first Women’s World Cup held in South America.

Brazil becomes the sixth country to host both the men’s and women’s World Cup — after Sweden, the United States, Germany, France, and Canada. The Brazilian bid won with 119 valid ballots at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, beating a joint Belgium-Germany-Netherlands bid which received 78 votes.

What’s confirmed

The format. The tournament will include 32 teams for the second time, after FIFA expanded from 24 teams in July 2019. Spain are the defending champions.

Equal prize money. FIFA has committed to equal prize money between the 2027 Women’s World Cup and the 2026 Men’s World Cup. The exact total will depend on the men’s 2026 purse, but the principle of parity is set.

Qualification. All six confederations will run qualification tournaments. Brazil qualifies automatically as host. Slot allocations for each confederation are being confirmed by FIFA.

The stadiums. Brazil’s bid included eight stadiums. The iconic Maracana in Rio de Janeiro is among the venues confirmed. Other host cities are yet to be finalised.

What’s still unknown

Exact dates. Mid-2027 is the expected window, but FIFA has not released a fixture calendar. The tournament will likely run across June and July, consistent with previous editions.

Venue details. While eight stadiums were proposed in the bid, FIFA has not confirmed the full list or which city will host the opening match and final.

Qualification slots. FIFA is yet to announce how many places each confederation will receive. UEFA currently sends 11 direct qualifiers plus one play-off team. That allocation could change.

Why it matters

This is the first senior FIFA women’s tournament on the South American continent. Brazil’s football culture is among the deepest in the world — hosting a Women’s World Cup there signals the tournament’s growing commercial and cultural weight.

With the 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand breaking attendance and viewing records, the 2027 tournament is expected to continue that trajectory. Equal prize money, confirmed before the tournament, sets a standard for future editions.