Chris AbshireFort Collins Coloradoan
July 19, 2026, 5:30 a.m. MT
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is wrapping up with a Spain-Argentina final on July 19.
So when’s the next World Cup?
It’s the women’s edition next year, as the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup returns to the Southern Hemisphere.
Fourteen countries have already qualified for the 2027 tournament. The remaining 18 slots will be filled before the official draw is announced later this year.
This will be the last World Cup to feature 32 teams as FIFA plans to expand to 48 teams for the 2031 tournament, matching the expanded men’s field.
When is the Women’s World Cup?
The 10th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament starts June 24, 2027 and runs through July 25, 2027.
Where is the next World Cup?
The upcoming Women’s World Cup will be held in Brazil, which also hosted the 2014 Men’s World Cup.
Host cities (and stadiums) in Brazil:
- 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)
- São Paulo (Arena Itaquera)
Will the Women’s World Cup be coming to the United States?
The U.S. has already been picked as a host for the 2031 Women’s World Cup, alongside co-hosts Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica.
Stadium/city sites for that World Cup have not been selected yet, but Denver is expected to be a candidate. Even though Denver missed out on hosting the men’s 2026 World Cup, the rise of the Denver Summit and accompanying women’s soccer infrastructure could make for a strong bid.
U.S. Women’s National Team’s World Cup History
The U.S. Women’s National Team has been a dominant force in women’s global soccer.
But the U.S. women did not win the previous World Cup, held in 2023 in Australia and New Zealand. The USWNT has still won four Women’s World Cup titles, the most of any country, including back-to-back in 2015 and 2019.
As of July 17, 2026, the U.S. team is second in FIFA’s women’s world rankings.
What teams are qualified for 2027 Women’s World Cup?
Here are the 18 countries that have already qualified (as of July 2026) for the next World Cup:
- Host: Brazil
- Asian Football Confederation (AFC): Australia, People’s Republic of China, Japan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Korea Republic, Philippines
- Confederation of African Football (CAF): None
- Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF): None
- South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL): Argentina, Colombia
- Oceania Football Confederation (OFC): New Zealand
- Union of <a href="https://absafricatv.com/erdogan-appoints-new-envoy-to-council-of-europe/” title=”Erdoğan appoints new envoy to Council of Europe”>European Football Associations (UEFA): Denmark, France, Germany, Spain
Will there be Colorado players in next World Cup?
Colorado always produces elite soccer talent, particularly on the women’s side.
The current USWNT is a reflection of that, with three Colorado natives on the team, as of July 2026.
- Lindsey Heaps (formerly Horan), from Golden and plays for Denver Summit FC
- Sophia Wilson (formerly Smith), from Windsor and attended Fossil Ridge High School
- Mallory Swanson (formerly Pugh), from Highlands Ranch and attended Mountain Vista High School
Several players on the new Denver Summit FC squad in the NWSL are also in contention to play for various national teams:
- Megan Reid (played for Canada in 2024 and 2025)
- Janine Sonis (played for Canadian national team since 2015)
- Emma Regan (played for Canada since 2018)
- Yuzuki Yamamoto (currently on Japan’s national team since 2025)
- Lourdes Bosch (currently on Mexico’s national team since 2025)
- Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (played for France since 2019)
- Melissa Kössler (played for German national team since 2023)
- Nahikari García (played for Spain since 2018)
- Ayo Oke (appeared in a USWNT match in 2026)
- Yazmeen Ryan (played for USWNT from 2024-26)
- Eva Gaetino (played for USWNT since 2024)
- Carson Pickett (played for USWNT in 2022)
Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.
