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It would be hard to overstate how much the 2026 World Cup has already expanded the audience for soccer, especially domestically. And even though the U.S. men’s national team was eliminated from the tournament on July 6 with a loss to Belgium, there’s good news:
There’s more soccer on the horizon.
Oh, and the U.S. women’s national team is historically more successful than the men.
Nearly 26.4 million people helped make USMNT’s round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, July 1, the most-watched English-language soccer telecast in the country's history.
If you were part of that record audience and you’re hungry for more, here’s everything you need to know:
We’re just a year away from women's football taking over the globe. The women's World Cup kicks off on June 24, 2027 in Brazil. It’s the first women's World Cup to be held in South America and the 10th edition of the worldwide competition.
The women’s tournament will be all over Brazil. These are the announced host cities:
If history is any indicator of future events, then the USWNT have the best chance of winning the women’s World Cup of any team.
They’ve won a record four women's World Cups. Germany has the next-most with two World Cup titles, while Spain, Japan and Norway each have won once.
The USWNT won back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019, but saw their three-peat effort thwarted in a round of 16 game against Sweden, which saw the U.S. lose 5-4 on penalties and suffer its earliest exit ever.
Although the USWNT rebounded by winning gold in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics, the team still needs to qualify for a chance to avenge their last World Cup defeat.
Including Brazil, which qualified automatically as hosts, 32 teams across six confederations will compete in the 2027 women’s World Cup. Qualification for the U.S. women's national team begins in November when it takes on El Salvador in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf W Championship.
Other nations will qualify through continental championships or separate qualifying competitions. Qualifying matches started in February of 2025 and are scheduled to end in February 2027.
So far, 14 out of the 32 teams have already secured their spot, including defending champion Spain. 2023 runner-up England is still in the hunt, along with many other teams.
The size of the tournament has not changed. It will feature 32 nations in eight groups of four teams, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout rounds.
The official draw for the group stage has yet to be scheduled but will likely take place in December of 2026, according to US Soccer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: When is the women’s World Cup? And can the U.S. win?
Continue reading...
There’s more soccer on the horizon.
Oh, and the U.S. women’s national team is historically more successful than the men.
Nearly 26.4 million people helped make USMNT’s round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, July 1, the most-watched English-language soccer telecast in the country's history.
If you were part of that record audience and you’re hungry for more, here’s everything you need to know:
When is the women’s World Cup?
We’re just a year away from women's football taking over the globe. The women's World Cup kicks off on June 24, 2027 in Brazil. It’s the first women's World Cup to be held in South America and the 10th edition of the worldwide competition.
Where is the women’s World Cup?
The women’s tournament will be all over Brazil. These are the announced host cities:
- Belo Horizonte - Estadio Mineirao
- Brasilia - Estadio Nacional
- Fortaleza - Arena Castelao
- Porto Alegre - Estadio Beira-Rio
- Recife - Arena de Pernambuco
- Rio de Janeiro - Estadio do Maracana
- Salvador - Arena Fonte Nova
- Sao Paulo - Arena Itaquera
Can the USWNT win the women’s World Cup?
If history is any indicator of future events, then the USWNT have the best chance of winning the women’s World Cup of any team.
They’ve won a record four women's World Cups. Germany has the next-most with two World Cup titles, while Spain, Japan and Norway each have won once.
The USWNT won back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019, but saw their three-peat effort thwarted in a round of 16 game against Sweden, which saw the U.S. lose 5-4 on penalties and suffer its earliest exit ever.
Although the USWNT rebounded by winning gold in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics, the team still needs to qualify for a chance to avenge their last World Cup defeat.
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How can the USWNT qualify for the women’s World Cup?
Including Brazil, which qualified automatically as hosts, 32 teams across six confederations will compete in the 2027 women’s World Cup. Qualification for the U.S. women's national team begins in November when it takes on El Salvador in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf W Championship.
Other nations will qualify through continental championships or separate qualifying competitions. Qualifying matches started in February of 2025 and are scheduled to end in February 2027.
So far, 14 out of the 32 teams have already secured their spot, including defending champion Spain. 2023 runner-up England is still in the hunt, along with many other teams.
The size of the tournament has not changed. It will feature 32 nations in eight groups of four teams, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout rounds.
The official draw for the group stage has yet to be scheduled but will likely take place in December of 2026, according to US Soccer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: When is the women’s World Cup? And can the U.S. win?
Continue reading...
