Seven teams, including Arsenal Women and FC Barcelona Femení, have qualified for the inaugural 19-team FIFA Women’s Club World Cup set to take place in the United States in January 2028.

Seven clubs have secured qualification for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, with Arsenal Women, FC Barcelona Femení, and five other teams confirmed for the historic tournament scheduled to take place in the United States from January 5 to 30, 2028.

FIFA announced the first seven qualifiers on Thursday, October 22, as it confirmed the qualification framework for the 19-team competition, which will bring together leading women’s clubs from all six continental confederations.

The confirmed teams represent Europe, Asia, Africa’s wider global competition landscape through the qualification system, North and Central America and the Caribbean, and South America, with 12 additional places still to be filled.

FIFA said the qualification principles prioritize continental champions from seasons ending between 2024 and 2027 while balancing sporting performance with representation from different parts of the world.

Arsenal and Barcelona are among the leading European representatives.

Arsenal Women and FC Barcelona Femení are among the seven clubs already assured of places in the first edition of the competition.

Their qualification gives European women’s club football two confirmed representatives as FIFA prepares to determine the remaining places through continental competition results and club-ranking mechanisms.

Gotham FC will represent the United States, while Club América Femenil will carry Mexico’s hopes. South American side SC Corinthians, China’s Wuhan Jiangda WFC, and North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC complete the initial group of qualifiers.

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will feature 19 clubs, with FIFA allocating places across all six confederations.

UEFA will have six representatives, while the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Confederation of African Football (CAF), Concacaf, and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) will each receive three places. Oceania will have one representative.

For confederations with fewer than four places, including CAF, qualification will be determined using continental champions and club rankings. FIFA will work with the relevant confederations to establish ranking methods based on sporting merit.

UEFA will use its continental champions and club-ranking system, with a general limit of two clubs per member association, except where more than two clubs from the same association win the continent’s leading club competition during the qualifying period.

The United States has been selected to host the first FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which will be staged every four years.

FIFA cited the country’s experience in hosting major tournaments, its sporting infrastructure, and its strong interest in women’s football as key factors behind the decision.

The competition is expected to provide a global platform for women’s clubs to expand their audiences, increase commercial opportunities, and showcase talent beyond their domestic and continental competitions.

With seven places confirmed and 12 still available, attention will now turn to the remaining continental competitions and ranking processes that will determine the full line-up for the January 2028 tournament.