
FIFA approves 48-team women's World Cup from 2031 edition
May 9 (Reuters) - The women's World Cup will be expanded from 32 to 48 teams from the 2031 edition onwards after the FIFA Council approved the proposal at a virtual meeting on Friday, a source familiar with the matter said.
The 48-team World Cup will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104 - the same as the expanded men's World Cup in 2026 - and extending the tournament by one week.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
'We are forever connected' - Postecoglou on leaving Spurs
Outgoing Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou says being able to bring glory back to Spurs is something that will "live with me for a lifetime" and believes they have "laid foundations" for more 59-year-old was sacked on Friday, despite having led the club to their first trophy since the Europa League final victory in May came towards the end of the club's worst Premier League season, with Tottenham finishing 17th and losing 22 of their 38 league a statement released after the news, Postecoglou said: "When I reflect on my time as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, my overriding emotion is one of pride."The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget."That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream."There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible. We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them."I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club - the supporters. I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on."It's important to acknowledge the hardworking people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis. And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special."We are forever connected."


BBC News
15 minutes ago
- BBC News
Mateta a 'great player' and a 'unique' threat
Former West Ham, Wolves and Crystal Palace coach Edu Rubio on Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta:"I didn't work with him; I missed him. I left Palace before he arrived. He is a great player and a very well-liked character, from what my friends there say."His uniqueness is that he can be used as a target man to bring the ball down after a long ball, and also a player who can combine and link up play in the opposition's half."Mateta has helped Palace tremendously in counters by always finding the ball, bringing it down and finding the right set or forward pass to keep the momentum of the attack."He can score from long range, from inside the box and in set-pieces, so he is a good attacking weapon to have, especially for a team playing with only one striker on the pitch."He can sometimes lose concentration in the high press, despite his application."As he will do next season, he can definitely play in a team playing in Europe, and he can do that consistently in the next few years."


BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Gillingham's Williams agrees new one-year deal
Gillingham midfielder Euan Williams has agreed terms on a new one-year deal at the 22-year-old joined from Charlton in the summer of 2024 and last season made 13 appearances across all competitions. He also earned a call-up to the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad for games against England and Ukraine. Last campaign Gillingham finished 17th in League Two, comfortably clear of the league's bottom two."I am delighted to be staying at the club," Williams said."There is a real togetherness around the place, we finished the season in good form and I am now looking forward to seeing what we can collectively achieve in 2025/26."