FIFA, the world football governing body, announced venues for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil on Wednesday, naming the iconic Maracanã Stadium among the eight venues.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, the tenth edition of the tournament, will include 32 teams for the second time in its history, following the pool expansion at the 2023 edition, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
The 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil marks the first edition of the tournament to be held in South America. The tournament will run from June 24 to July 25, with eight venues hosting 64 matches.
The host cities are Belo Horizonte (Estádio Mineirão), Brasília (Estádio Nacional), Fortaleza (Arena Castelão), Porto Alegre (Estádio Beira-Rio), Recife (Arena de Pernambuco), Rio de Janeiro (Estádio do Maracanã), Salvador (Arena Fonte Nova) and São Paulo (Arena Itaquera).
“From samba to frevo, from stunning beaches to cosmopolitan cities, the world will experience the energy, colour and warmth that only Brazil can offer,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement.
“We will continue to work closely with the selected host cities on the exciting journey ahead of us, creating unforgettable moments in each of their stadiums in 2027, and ensuring that this tournament has a major and widespread positive impact.”
The video announcement of the venues by FIFA featured Infantino along with two of the most iconic figures in women’s football history: six-time FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year/The Best FIFA Women’s Player winner Marta and the legendary Formiga.
“I won’t be on the pitch in 2027, but I’m always ready to represent Brazilian football – even more so at a special moment like this, when we’re presenting the cities and stadiums that will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil,” said Formiga, the only player in history to appear at seven editions of a senior women’s or men’s World Cup.
“I played football for many years – 26 with the national team alone – so I know every corner of our country. And I can tell you: each of these cities is full of women’s football talents who need support and inspiration.
“The Women’s World Cup will be an opportunity for them to see the greatest up close and think, ‘If they can be there, so can I.’ That’s the impact that only an event of this size can have.”
How The Host Cities Were Selected
The host city selection process for the 2027 Women’s World Cup began in August 2024, with 12 cities taking part in the bidding process to host games.
Specialized FIFA teams representing key operational areas essential to tournament delivery visited all 12 candidate cities, assessing the proposed infrastructure and facilities according to FIFA’s hosting requirements.
Belém, Cuiabá, Manaus and Natal missed out in the end.
The 2027 Women’s World Cup will also be the last edition to have 32 participating teams, as the 2031 edition will expand to 48.
“It’s tremendous that we are bringing the FIFA Women’s World Cup to Brazil, one of the world’s great football countries. It’s wonderful for women’s football and for the global growth of our sport in general,” said Jill Ellis, FIFA Chief Football Officer.
“For the host cities, there is going to be such an immense impact from hosting the biggest women’s sporting event on the planet – in terms of growing the sport and the visibility. What is very, very special about the FIFA Women’s World Cup is that it’s the stage where heroes are made and champions are crowned.”
Spain are the defending Women’s World Cup champions, having won their maiden title by beating England 1-0 in the final in 2023.
