FIFA expands Women's World Cup from 24 teams to 32 for 2023

ABS-CBN Sports on Aug 01, 2019 07:45 AM
FIFA expands Women's World Cup from 24 teams to 32 for 2023

By The Associated Press


FIFA said Wednesday the decision was made remotely.



FIFA's statement made no mention of prize money. The U.S. received $4 million of a $30 million prize pool for winning the World Cup on July 7, a small percentage of the $38 million from a $400 million pool that France got for winning the 2018 men's World Cup. FIFA has increased prize money for the 2022 men's World Cup to $440 million and FIFA President Gianni Infantino said July 5 that he was proposing FIFA double the women's prize money to $60 million for 2023.

After the U.S. won the women's final in Lyon, France, fans in the stadium chanted "Equal Pay!"

Infantino said in a statement that "this is the time to keep the momentum going and take concrete steps to foster the growth of women's football" and "it means that, from now on, dozens more member associations will organize their women's football program knowing they have a realistic chance of qualifying."

"We have a duty to do the groundwork and strengthen women's football development infrastructure across all confederations," he said.

The Women's World Cup started with 12 teams in 1991, expanded to 16 in 1999 and 24 in 2015.


Infantino also has proposed a Women's Club World Cup and creating a women's world league. FIFA is also doubling the funding being made available to women's soccer in the next four-year cycle to $1 billion.

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