FIFA Council unanimously approves Women's World Cup expansion to 48-team field ahead of 2031 tournament, expected to be hosted by the U.S.

The Women's World Cup will follow in the footsteps of the men's tournament, and expand from 32 to 48 teams, FIFA announced Friday. The changes are set to take place in the 2031 tournament, almost doubling the number of games played and extending the event by an extra week.

It will likely be a significant step for the United States, which is almost guaranteed to host in 2031. The U.S. is the only acknowledged bidder for 2031, and will likely have their bid ratified in 2026 and share hosting duties Mexico - adding to a historic run of the beautiful game in the U.S. that also includes the Club World Cup, Men's World Cup and Olympic soccer.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino backed the move.

"This is not just about having 16 more teams playing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup but taking the next steps in relation to the women’s game in general by ensuring that more FIFA Member Associations have the chance to benefit from the tournament to develop their women’s football structures from a holistic point of view," he said in a statement.

The next iteration of the Women's World Cup is set to be held in Brazil, with the host venues for the 2027 tournament announced earlier this week.