FIFA confirm 2023 Women’s World Cup will have 32 teams; More slots for Africa

World football governing body, FIFA has confirmed that 32 countries will compete for glory at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

“Following the amazing success of the 2019 edition, the decision was taken last year to expand the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ to 32 teams and thus continue to foster the growth of women’s football,” a communique on the website of FIFA has announced today.

The expansion of the global showpiece comes with good news for the African continent with FIFA handing CAF four direct slots.

UEFA gets the highest number of direct slots [11] while host nations Australia and New Zealand have been handed automatic qualification.

“The two host countries, Australia and New Zealand, will automatically qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, and their slots have been taken directly from the quotas allocated to their confederations, namely the AFC and the OFC respectively,” parts of the FIFA communique read.

Direct slot allocation (29 of the 32 participation slots)

6 direct slots for the AFC;
4 direct slots for CAF;
4 direct slots for Concacaf;
3 direct slots for CONMEBOL;
1 direct slot for the OFC; and
11 direct slots for UEFA.
Meanwhile, FIFA has said that the three remaining slots will be decided through a ten-team play-off tournament.