FIFA Proposes Women’s World Nations League, Club World Cup

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Sunday he will push again for the creation of a Women’s World League despite having his initial plan blocked inside the organization.

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During the FIFA Football Conference held in Milan to analyze the FIFA Women’s World Cup played in France this summer, Infantino called for pushing women’s soccer to the next level, unveiling five proposals he plans to file with the FIFA Council.

Among the proposals is an approved plan to expand the upcoming Women’s World Cup from 24 to 32 teams. The head of soccer’s international governing body argued that the past two World Cups, the 2019 Women’s World Cup and the Men’s World Cup in 2018, were the two best World Cups “in terms of impact and emotion.”

There are eight countries competing for the right to host the next edition of the tournament and the winning bid will be announced in June.

He also called for the creation of the Women’s World Nations League, a project he originally proposed a couple of years ago in Bahrain but has not materialized yet.

In addition to the Women’s World Nations League, Infantino wants women’s clubs to come together for a Club World Cup.

A potential Club World Cup would be played over two or three weeks with the participation of 16 or 24 teams, Infantino explained.

The fourth proposal calls for doubling investment in women’s soccer to US$1 billion within four years.

FIFA's president also called for proper marketing of women’s soccer, increasing interest in the game and expanding overall income for the sport.

Infantino used as an example England’s opener at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, a match that drew more attention inside the United Kingdom than the Champions League final between Liverpool and Chelsea.