Copa do mundo feminina · History

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the world championship for women’s national football teams, organised by FIFA since 1991, when China hosted the first official edition. Held every four years, it was played nine times between 1991 and 2023, and five nations won it: the United States, Norway, Germany, Japan and Spain. In May 2024 the tenth edition was awarded to Brazil, the first to be staged in South America.

Origins and the first tournament

Before creating the championship, FIFA held a test tournament in China in 1988. Its opening match drew around 45,000 spectators, and that turnout helped win approval for a world championship. The first edition, then called the FIFA Women’s World Championship, was played in China in November 1991 with twelve teams. Matches lasted 80 minutes instead of 90, and a win was worth two points; both rules changed in 1995. In the final, on 30 November at the Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou, the United States beat Norway 2-1 in front of 63,000 spectators. Michelle Akers scored both American goals and finished as top scorer with ten.

The 1990s: Norway and the Rose Bowl final

Sweden hosted the 1995 edition, still with twelve teams. Norway, runners-up in 1991, won the title by beating Germany 2-0 at the Råsunda Stadium in Solna. In 1999 the tournament moved to the United States and grew to 16 teams, and the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena drew 90,185 spectators. After a goalless draw through extra time, the hosts beat China 5-4 on penalties for their second title. That edition also introduced the current trophy, designed in 1998 by the artist William Sawaya.

The German era and the 2003 move

FIFA had awarded the 2003 edition to China in October 2000, but an outbreak of SARS led it to move the tournament to the United States in May 2003. Germany beat Sweden 2-1 in the final at the Home Depot Center in Carson, winning with a golden goal in extra time. Four years later China did host the event, and in 2007 Germany became the first team to retain the title, beating Brazil 2-0 at the Hongkou Stadium in Shanghai. The German side did not concede a single goal throughout that tournament, in which Brazil’s Marta finished as top scorer.

Japan in 2011 and the move to 24 teams

Germany hosted the 2011 edition, and the final in Frankfurt between Japan and the United States ended 2-2 after extra time. Japan won the shootout 3-1 and became the first Asian champions. In 2015, in Canada, the field expanded to 24 teams and the final repeated the 2011 pairing. At BC Place in Vancouver, the United States beat Japan 5-2, with Carli Lloyd scoring three times in the first half. At that tournament Brazil’s Formiga and Japan’s Homare Sawa both played in their sixth World Cup.

France 2019 and Oceania 2023

In 2019, in France, the United States won a fourth title by beating the Netherlands 2-0 at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Décines-Charpieu, in front of 57,900 spectators. Formiga, who had played in every edition since 1995, became that year the first footballer, male or female, to appear at seven World Cups. The 2023 edition, the first with 32 teams and the first with two host nations, was staged in Australia and New Zealand and drew a total attendance of 1,978,274. Spain beat England 1-0 at Stadium Australia in Sydney, with a goal from Olga Carmona, to win their first title.

Records and future editions

The United States have four titles (1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019) and Germany two (2003 and 2007), while Norway, Japan and Spain have one each. Marta is the competition’s all-time top scorer with 17 goals and played in six editions, the last in 2023. On 17 May 2024, at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Brazil was chosen to host the 2027 tournament with 119 votes, against 78 for the joint bid from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. It was the first time all member associations voted on the host, and the Maracanã was named as the venue for the opening match and the final. In May 2025 the FIFA Council unanimously approved expanding the tournament to 48 teams and 104 matches from the 2031 edition.