FIFA Women's World Cup facts for kids

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FIFA Women's World Cup

Organising body	FIFA
Founded	1991; 35 years ago (1991)
Region	International
Number of teams	32 (48 from 2031 onwards)
Related competitions	FIFA World Cup
Current champions	Spain (1st title)
Most successful team(s)	United States (4 titles)
Television broadcasters	List of broadcasters

The FIFA Women's World Cup is a super exciting international football competition. It's where the best women's national teams from all over the world compete! Organized by FIFA, the global football governing body, this amazing tournament happens every four years. The very first official Women's World Cup took place in China in 1991. Back then, it was called the FIFA Women's World Championship.

Right now, 32 teams get to play in the final tournament. The country hosting the event automatically gets a spot. Other teams earn their places through special qualifying games held over three years. These final games, known as the World Cup Finals, are played in the host country or countries for about a month.

Five different national teams have won the nine FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments so far. The United States team has won four times, making them the most successful. Germany has won twice. Japan, Norway, and Spain have each won one title.

Many countries have hosted this big event. China and the United States have each hosted twice. Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, and Sweden have each hosted once. Brazil is set to host the next tournament in 2027. In 2031, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, and the United States will host together, and it will be the first time 48 teams compete! The United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) will host in 2035.

How the World Cup Works

How Teams Qualify

Teams must first qualify to play in the World Cup. They do this through special tournaments held in six different regions around the world. These regions are Africa, Asia, North and Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Oceania, and Europe. Each region has its own football organization, like CAF for Africa or UEFA for Europe.

FIFA decides how many spots each region gets in the World Cup. This depends on how strong the teams from that region are. The country that hosts the World Cup automatically gets a spot. Other teams play in their regional tournaments to earn one of the remaining spots. Since the 2015 tournament, the number of teams has grown from 16 to 24, and then to 32. For the 2031 World Cup, the number of teams will increase again to 48!

The Main Tournament Games

The final tournament brings together the qualified national teams. They compete for about a month in the host country or countries. The tournament has two main parts: the group stage and the knockout stage.

Group Stage

In the group stage, teams are divided into groups, usually with four teams in each. Every team in a group plays against every other team in that same group once. This means each team plays three matches. The last games in each group are played at the same time. This makes sure everything is fair for all the teams.

Teams earn points for their games. Since 1994, a win gives a team three points. A draw (a tie) gives one point, and a loss gives no points. The teams with the most points move on to the next stage.

How Teams Are Ranked in Groups

If teams have the same number of points, these rules help decide who ranks higher:

The team with the best goal difference (goals scored minus goals against) in group matches.
The team that scored the most goals in group matches.
If teams are still tied, their ranking is decided by:
- The most points in games played only between those tied teams.
- The best goal difference in games played only between those tied teams.
- The most goals scored in games played only between those tied teams.

Knockout Stage

The knockout stage is like a big elimination tournament. Teams play one-off matches, and if there's a tie, they play extra time. If it's still a tie, they have a penalty shootout to decide the winner. The loser goes home.

This stage starts with the "Round of 16." Then come the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finally, the big championship match. There's also a match for third place, played by the teams that lost in the semi-finals. Starting in 2031, with more teams, the knockout stage will begin with a "Round of 32."

The Exciting Story of the Women's World Cup

The idea of a women's football World Cup started long ago. Some unofficial tournaments were held in the 1970s, like in Italy in 1970 and Mexico in 1971. Denmark won both of these early events.

In the 1980s, more countries started allowing women's football. This led to more teams forming. After successful women's tournaments in Asia and Europe, people wanted a global competition. In 1988, FIFA held a test tournament in China. Twelve national teams played, and it was a huge success, with many fans watching. Norway won that test tournament.

Because of this success, FIFA officially approved the Women's World Cup. The first official tournament was held in China in 1991. Twelve teams competed, and the United States won, beating Norway 2-1 in the final.

The 1995 tournament in Sweden saw Norway win their only title. In 1999, the World Cup was held in the United States. One of the most famous moments was when American defender Brandi Chastain celebrated with great joy after scoring the winning penalty kick against China. The final match in the Rose Bowl had an amazing crowd of over 90,000 people!

The United States hosted again in 2003 because China had to step down due to health concerns. China then hosted in 2007. Germany hosted in 2011, and Japan won that year. Canada hosted in 2015, and the number of teams grew to 24.

During the 2015 World Cup, Formiga from Brazil and Homare Sawa from Japan both played in their sixth World Cup. This was a record for any player, male or female! Christie Pearce also became the oldest player in a Women's World Cup match at 40 years old. France hosted the 2019 tournament, where the United States won their fourth title.

In 2023, Australia and New Zealand hosted the World Cup together for the first time. This was also the first time 32 teams competed, and the first time the tournament was held in the Southern Hemisphere. Spain won their first-ever title, beating England 1-0 in the final. This made Spain only the second country to win both the Men's and Women's World Cups, after Germany.

Looking ahead, Brazil will host in 2027, bringing the tournament to South America for the first time. In 2031, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, and the United States will host together, and the number of teams will grow to 48. The United Kingdom will host in 2035.

The Amazing World Cup Trophy

The FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy inside FIFA Museum

The beautiful trophy given to the winners was designed in 1998. It looks like a spiral band with a football at the very top. This trophy is 47 centimeters (about 18.5 inches) tall and weighs 4.6 kilograms (about 10 pounds). It's made of sterling silver and covered in 23-karat gold!

The names of all the past winners are engraved on the base of the trophy. An interesting fact is that a brand new trophy is made for each women's champion to keep forever. For the men's World Cup, there is only one original trophy, and winning teams take home a replica.

Since 2007, the winning team also gets to wear a special FIFA Champions Badge on their jerseys. They wear it until the next World Cup winner is decided.

Where the World Cup Games Are Played

Many different countries have had the honor of hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup. Some countries have hosted more than once, and new hosts are always being chosen.

Total of World Cup competitions hosted by each confederation (1991–2035)
*Confederation and year in bold has an upcoming competition*
Confederation	Total	Hosts
Asian Football Confederation (AFC)	3	1991: China 2007: China 2023: Australia
Confederation of African Football (CAF)	0
Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF)	4	1999: United States 2003: United States 2015: Canada 2031: Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, United States
South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL)	1	2027: Brazil
Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)	1	2023: New Zealand
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)	4	1995: Sweden 2011: Germany 2019: France 2035: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales

Millions of Fans Watch the Games

The FIFA Women's World Cup attracts huge crowds and viewers from all over the world. The number of fans watching has grown a lot over the years.

Year	Hosts	Venues/ Cities	Total attendance	Matches	Average attendance	Highest attendances
Year	Hosts	Venues/ Cities	Total attendance	Matches	Average attendance	Number	Venue	Game(s)
1991	China	6/4	510,000	26	18,344	65,000	Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou	China PR 4–0 Norway, Opening match
1995	Sweden	5/5	112,213	26	4,316	17,158	Råsunda Stadium, Solna	Germany 0–2 Norway, final
1999	United States	8/8	1,214,209	32	37,944	90,185	Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California	United States 0–0 (5–4p) China PR, final
2003	United States	6/6	679,664	32	21,240	34,144	Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C.	United States 3–1 Sweden, quarter-final
2007	China	5/5	1,190,971	32	37,218	55,832	Tianjin Olympic Center, Tianjin	China PR 2–0 New Zealand, group stage
2011	Germany	9/9	845,751	32	26,430	73,680	Olympiastadion, Berlin	Germany 2–1 Canada, group stage
2015	Canada	6/6	1,353,506	52	26,029	54,027	BC Place, Vancouver	England 2–1 Canada, quarter-final
2019	France	9/9	1,131,312	52	21,756	57,900	Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Décines-Charpieu	United States 2–0 Netherlands, final
2023	Australia New Zealand	10/9	1,978,274	64	30,911	75,784	Stadium Australia, Sydney	Five matches, including the final, all at Stadium Australia
2027	Brazil	8/8		64			TBA	TBA
2031	Costa Rica Jamaica Mexico United States	/		104			TBA	TBA
2035	England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales	/		104			TBA	TBA
Overall			9,015,900	348	25,908	90,185	Rose Bowl, Pasadena (1999)

Notes:

The 2003 Women's World Cup was first planned for China. But due to a health outbreak, it was moved to the United States.
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup set a new record for attendance. It had more fans than any other FIFA competition except the men's World Cup.

Who Has Won the World Cup?

Key

aet: after extra time
p: penalty shoot-out
TBD: to be determined

Ed.	Year	Hosts	Final			Third-place playoff			No. of teams
Ed.	Year	Hosts	Champions	Score	Runners-up	Third place	Score	Fourth place	No. of teams
1	1991	China	United States	2–1	Norway	Sweden	4–0	Germany	12
2	1995	Sweden	Norway	2–0	Germany	United States	2–0	China	12
3	1999	United States	United States	0–0 (aet) (5–4 p)	China	Brazil	0–0 (5–4 p)	Norway	16
4	2003	United States	Germany	2–1 (aet)	Sweden	United States	3–1	Canada	16
5	2007	China	Germany	2–0	Brazil	United States	4–1	Norway	16
6	2011	Germany	Japan	2–2 (aet) (3–1 p)	United States	Sweden	2–1	France	16
7	2015	Canada	United States	5–2	Japan	England	1–0 (aet)	Germany	24
8	2019	France	United States	2–0	Netherlands	Sweden	2–1	England	24
9	2023	Australia New Zealand	Spain	1–0	England	Sweden	2–0	Australia	32
10	2027	Brazil							32
11	2031	Costa Rica Jamaica Mexico United States							48
12	2035	England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales							48

Notes

A total of 44 nations have played in at least one Women's World Cup. Five of these nations have won the World Cup trophy. The United States is the most successful team, with four titles. They are also one of only seven nations to have played in every World Cup. The U.S. team has had the most top-four finishes (8), won the most medals (8), and reached the final the most times (5). This includes a streak of three consecutive finals from 2011 to 2019.

Map of countries' best results

Top Teams in World Cup History

Teams reaching the semi-finals
Team	Title(s)	Runners-up	Third place	Fourth place	Top 4 total
United States	4 (1991, 1999*, 2015, 2019)	1 (2011)	3 (1995, 2003 *, 2007)		8
Germany	2 (2003, 2007)	1 (1995)		2 (1991, 2015)	5
Norway	1 (1995)	1 (1991)		2 (1999, 2007)	4
Japan	1 (2011)	1 (2015)			2
Spain	1 (2023)				1
Sweden		1 (2003)	4 (1991, 2011, 2019, 2023)		5
England		1 (2023)	1 (2015)	1 (2019)	3
Brazil		1 (2007)	1 (1999)		2
China		1 (1999)		1 (1995)	2
Netherlands		1 (2019)			1
Canada				1 (2003)	1
France				1 (2011)	1
Australia				1 (2023*)	1

* host nation

How Different Regions Have Performed

As of 2023, four of the six FIFA regions have had teams reach the World Cup final. Only Africa (CAF) and Oceania (OFC) have not yet had a team in the final. South America (CONMEBOL) has reached one final but has not yet won.

The farthest an African team has gone is the quarter-finals, achieved by Nigeria in 1999. Oceania has sent two teams, Australia and New Zealand. Australia started doing well after its football association moved to the Asian region. New Zealand, still in Oceania, has not yet reached the knockout rounds. Japan, from the Asian region, became champions in 2011.

The United States and Norway are the only teams to have won a tournament hosted by a country in their own region. The U.S. won in 1999 (at home) and 2015 (in Canada). Norway won in 1995 (in Sweden).

Total times teams qualified by confederation
Confederation	AFC	CAF	CONCACAF	CONMEBOL	OFC	UEFA
Champions	1	0	4	0	0	4
Runners-up	2	0	1	1	0	5
Third place	0	0	3	1	0	5
Fourth place	2	0	1	0	0	6
Finalists	3	0	5	1	0	9
Semi-finalists	5	0	9	2	0	20
Quarter-finalists	16	1	10	5	0	40
Top 16 (since 2015)	9	6	6	4	0	23
Qualifiers	35	20	26	18	9	60

Watching the Games and How It's Funded

The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup final was a huge event in American TV history. Nearly 23 million people watched it, which was more than the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup that year! Over 750 million viewers watched the tournament worldwide.

The 2023 Women's World Cup made $570 million. This shows how much the tournament has grown. FIFA is working to ensure fair value for broadcasting rights for the Women's World Cup. This helps the sport continue to grow and reach more fans around the globe.

Amazing Records and Top Scorers

Here are some of the incredible records and top goalscorers in the history of the Women's World Cup. Players in bold are still active in international football.

Who Scored the Most Goals?

Marta of Brazil is the all-time leading scorer of the senior FIFA World Cups.

Individual Top Scorers

Rank	Player	Goals scored
1	Marta	17
2	Birgit Prinz	14
2	Abby Wambach	14
4	Michelle Akers	12
5	Cristiane	11
	Sun Wen
	Bettina Wiegmann
8	Christine Sinclair	10
	Ann Kristin Aarønes
	Carli Lloyd

Top Scoring Countries

Rank	Country	Goals scored
1	United States	142
2	Germany	129
3	Norway	100
4	Sweden	83
5	Brazil	71
6	England	56
7	China	55
8	Japan	54
9	Australia	48
10	France	44

Special Awards for Star Players

At the end of each World Cup, special awards are given to players and teams. These awards celebrate amazing achievements beyond just winning the tournament.

Here are the main awards given:

The Golden Ball is for the best overall player in the tournament.
The Golden Boot is for the player who scores the most goals.
The Golden Glove is for the best goalkeeper in the tournament.
The FIFA Young Player Award is for the best player under 21 years old.
The FIFA Fair Play Trophy is given to the team that shows the best sportsmanship.

There are also awards voted on by fans:

The Player of the Match is given to an outstanding player in each game.
The Goal of the Tournament is for the fans' favorite goal scored during the tournament.

World Cup	Golden Ball	Golden Boot	Goals	Golden Glove	Clean sheets	FIFA Young Player Award	FIFA Fair Play Trophy
1991 China	Carin Jennings	Michelle Akers	10	Not awarded	N/A	Not awarded	Germany
1995 Sweden	Hege Riise	Ann Kristin Aarønes	6	Not awarded	N/A		Sweden
1999 United States	Sun Wen	Sun Wen Sissi	7	Gao Hong Briana Scurry	5		China
2003 United States	Birgit Prinz	Birgit Prinz	7	Silke Rottenberg	5		China
2007 China	Marta	Marta	7	Nadine Angerer	6		Norway
2011 Germany	Homare Sawa	Homare Sawa	5	Hope Solo	2	Caitlin Foord	Japan
2015 Canada	Carli Lloyd	Célia Šašić	6	Hope Solo	5	Kadeisha Buchanan	France
2019 France	Megan Rapinoe	Megan Rapinoe	6	Sari van Veenendaal	3	Giulia Gwinn	France
2023 Australia/New Zealand	Aitana Bonmatí	Hinata Miyazawa	5	Mary Earps	3	Salma Paralluelo	Japan