The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil is fast approaching. It is the first Women’s World Cup to be held in South America and the 10th edition in total.
Here’s what to know about the tournament’s format, and how teams can get there, when it kicks off June 24, 2027.
What is the 2027 FIFA World Cup format?
After a successful 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which saw Spain beat England in the final, the tournament will again feature 32 nations.
The tournament will have eight groups of four teams, with the top two teams progressing to the knockout rounds.
The official draw for the group stage has not been scheduled yet.
Which teams have qualified already?
: Brazil
: Germany
: Argentina, Colombia
: None
: Australia, China PR, Japan, Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Philippines
: None
: New Zealand
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How can other teams qualify?
The UEFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign (February to December 2026) will see the four League A group winners qualify directly.
The other six spots will be decided from the UEFA playoff matches. There will be two paths in round 1:
Path 1: Four second-placed teams and four third-placed teams from League A vs. six first-placed teams and two best-ranked second-placed teams from League C.
Path 2: Four fourth-placed teams from League A and four first-placed teams from League B vs. four second-placed teams and four third-placed teams from League B.
The winners then qualify for a playoff in round 2 where the seven best-ranked teams will qualify directly.
Currently qualified:
League A: Austria, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine
League B: Belgium, Czechia, Finland, Israel, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Switzerland, Türkiye, Wales
League C: Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Romania
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And there will be one intercontinental playoff tournament slot for the one remaining round 2 playoff winner.
All four semifinalists from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 (July 25-Aug. 16) will qualify.
The four teams who do not win their quarterfinals will be put into the two intercontinental playoff tournament slots.
All four semifinalists from the Women’s Asian Cup 2026 (July 25-Aug. 16) qualified — Australia, China, Japan, South Korea
The four teams who did not win their quarterfinals were put into a playoff and the winners of those two matches (Philippines and North Korea) earned a direct spot.
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The losers went into the two intercontinental playoff tournament slots (Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan).
The four semifinalists from the Concacaf W Championship 2026 (Nov. 24-Dec. 5) involving Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and the United States qualify.
The four teams who did not win their quarterfinals will be put into a playoff for the two intercontinental playoff slots.
Brazil qualify automatically as hosts.
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela will compete in the CONMEBOL Women’s Nations League (October 2025-June 2026). The top two from the group (Argentina, Colombia) qualified directly, while third and fourth place will enter the intercontinental playoff tournament.
New Zealand won a knockout in the final Oceania qualifiers to qualify directly.
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Papua New Guinea lost in that final, so they go into the intercontinental playoff tournament.
What is the intercontinental playoff tournament?
Made up of two teams from Asia, two from Africa, one from Oceania, two from South America, two from North and Central America, and one from Europe, this is a 10-team tournament that provides an additional through two phases.
The first phase (in November and December 2026) will be based on the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking and see two teams from AFC, two from CAF, one from CONMEBOL, and one from the OFC compete in a playoff for two spots.
The two winners from that will go to the second phase where they will be joined by four more teams: two from Concacaf, one from CONMEBOL and one from UEFA.
The final six teams will be drawn into three paths (teams from the same confederation will not be permitted to play each other) in a knockout to determine the final three World Cup spots.
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Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan, Papua New Guinea
How many players will go per team?
The squads have been increased from 23 players to 26, so teams will have more options in the final lists.
What are the host cities?
Belo Horizonte – Estadio Mineirao
Brasilia – Estadio Nacional
Fortaleza – Arena Castelao
Porto Alegre – Estadio Beira-Rio
Recife – Arena de Pernambuco
Rio de Janeiro – Estadio do Maracana
Salvador – Arena Fonte Nova
Sao Paulo – Arena Itaquera
Who has won the Women’s World Cup before?
United States (4)
Germany (2)
Spain (1)
Japan (1)
Norway (1)
