The Women's Super League has issued a stark warning that FIFA's proposed scheduling for the inaugural Women's Club World Cup in January 2028 could have a catastrophic impact on domestic football calendars across Europe. The league's spokesperson stated on Wednesday that the organisation is firmly against the planned dates of 5–30 January 2028 and has made strong representations to football's world governing body.
Calendar Clash Concerns
The WSL has expressed serious concerns that hosting the tournament during the northern hemisphere's winter would disrupt five WSL match rounds and create significant fixture congestion. While the league supports the introduction of new tournaments in principle, officials believe the proposed timing would create unacceptable disruption to domestic competitions.
A WSL spokesperson emphasised: "We are not against the introduction of new tournaments in principle, but those dates would have an impact on five WSL match rounds." The league has instead called for the competition to be rescheduled to the summer months, which would cause less disruption to European domestic leagues.
Player and Club Opposition
The WSL believes that both clubs and players share their opposition to the January 2028 schedule, though the league has stopped short of calling for a boycott or threatening to withdraw English teams from the competition. The spokesperson added that they do not want to prevent member clubs from participating in what would be women's football's first formalised global club tournament.
FIFA's qualification pathways for different continental confederations remain undisclosed, and no host has yet been confirmed for the 2028 tournament. However, discussions are reportedly underway regarding potential Middle Eastern hosts, with Qatar emerging as a possible venue.
FIFA's Position and Historical Context
On Tuesday, FIFA's chief football officer and former USWNT coach Jill Ellis appeared open to the possibility of the 2028 Cup being contested in the Middle East. Ellis also criticised anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the United States, warning against hypocrisy when discussing potential hosts like Qatar.
The new Women's Club World Cup represents a significant development for the women's game, which has never previously had a formalised global club-level tournament. Originally targeted for 2026, the competition was delayed and is now planned as a 16-team event for 2028.
Current Tournament Context
The scheduling concerns emerge as women's football prepares for the smaller FIFA Champions Cup tournament later this month in London. Arsenal will compete in the semi-finals alongside:
- Concacaf champions Gotham FC
- Last year's Libertadores Femenina winners Corinthians
- African Champions League winners ASFAR
The Champions Cup final at the Emirates Stadium on 1 February will directly clash with a crucial WSL fixture between Manchester City and Chelsea, highlighting the ongoing calendar challenges facing women's football.
The January 2028 dates would not conflict with Women's Champions League ties, but would impact many European domestic leagues, including the WSL which currently operates a winter break from mid-December to early January. The expanded men's Club World Cup was successfully held last summer in the United States, won by Chelsea, providing a potential model for summer scheduling that the WSL is advocating for the women's tournament.
