When FIFA approved the decision to expand World Cup participation from 32 teams to 48, the reactions were quite mixed. While many raised eyebrows, insisting the expansion wasn’t worth it, others welcomed the opportunity for a more extended version of the tournament. Eventually, the decision was implemented, with the 2026 men’s edition becoming the pioneer of this change. Now, it seems this seismic shift is set to carry over into the women’s game—particularly in the next edition of the Olympics, scheduled to be held in LA in 2028.
Almost thought the same was going to happen in the 2027 Women’s World Cup eh? Well, that tournament remains untouched—at least for now. Not to mention they had already expanded the previous 2023 edition from 24 to 32 teams. While we don’t know about future calls, it looks like, for starters, a decision seems to have been made for the next edition of the Summer Games. The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Executive Board has given the green light to a proposal to expand the women’s tournament from 12 to 16 teams.
The news also was proudly shared by FIFA President Gianni Infantino also among his 2.8 million Instagram followers. Sharing a carousel of pictures of past winners in both men’s and women’s games, he ecstatically celebrated it as “a major milestone for the women’s game and a powerful endorsement of women’s sport.”
Further expressing his desire to work for the growth of the women’s game, he added, “At FIFA, we have always believed in the power of women’s football and today’s decision is a positive step. Our vision is clear: we are investing in and expanding opportunities for women’s football at every level. More teams on the Olympic stage means more role models, more inspiration, and more impact.”
“This development reflects our shared understanding that women’s football deserves greater representation and visibility at the Olympic Games,” Infantino added, voicing his special regards to the IOC for fruitfully discussing and approving this unique proposal. While expressing his desire to make LA28 a groundbreaking event, he thanked the IOC for the fruitful discussions and vowed to continue working with partners to incorporate futsal and beach soccer into the Olympic program.
Likewise, echoing Gianni Infantino’s sentiment was also FIFA Secretary General, Mattias Grafström, insisting the apex authority of the beautiful game had been working towards this ‘groundbreaking decision’ for quite some time.
Further expressing his gratitude to IOC for their extended support, Grafström shedded light on some future goals saying, “We are very pleased with the outcome but, of course, we will continue with full commitment to our daily and sustained work across all relevant areas of the women’s game including competitions, technical and regulatory aspects to unlock the undeniable potential it has everywhere in the world.”
Be that as it may, it’s undeniably a groundbreaking decision from both parties. Judging by the statements from the stakeholders, it’s clear that the move to increase the number of participating teams in the Olympics is primarily aimed at promoting the growth of women’s soccer. But are there any other asterisks we should be aware of?
More on the latest change in the 2028 LA Olympics
Notably, FIFA’s goal to expand the women’s soccer participation teams in the Summer Games dates even before the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics. They had consistently been advocating to make this change but it wasn’t accepted by the IOC. That’s because this initiative perfectly aligned with Goal 7 of FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game 2023–2027. For those unaware, it primarily focuses on creating more opportunities for women and girls across all levels of the game.
Additionally, the push for expansion also stems from the monumental success of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Somehow, the ninth edition which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand witnessed a record-breaking fan engagement, let alone it garnered the rising talent from across the globe. With just the addition of eight new nations in the World Cup, over 184 additional players were able to get exposure on the world stage, further soaring the interest in the women’s game.
Hence, FIFA hopes to make the IOC-led women’s soccer tournament a similar success. Hence, expect 16 women’s teams to participate in the 2028 LA Olympics. As for the men’s side, their count remains unchanged to 12 teams. How this latest call benefits the respective organization and more importantly, the women’s game is something that remains to be seen.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.
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