FIFA celebrates historic step for women’s football at LA28 Olympic Games
FIFA is pleased with the decision taken by the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to approve a proposal for 16 women’s and 12 men’s teams to participate in the Olympic Football Tournaments at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28) – a major milestone for the women’s game and a powerful endorsement of women’s sport.
The expansion of the women’s tournament reflects the shared commitment of FIFA, the IOC and LA28 to elevate women’s sport, celebrate the strength of the women’s game in the United States and continue to open doors for more players and more nations on the world stage.
“FIFA has always believed in the power of women’s football and today’s decision by the IOC Executive Board is a positive step,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Our vision is clear: we are investing in and expanding opportunities for women’s football at every level. More teams on the Olympic stage means more role models, more inspiration and more impact.”
“This development reflects our shared understanding that women’s football deserves greater representation and visibility at the Olympic Games. We thank the IOC for the fruitful discussions that will make LA28 a groundbreaking event, and we will continue to work with our partners to incorporate futsal and beach soccer into the Olympic programme.”
FIFA Secretary General, Mattias Grafström, said: “FIFA has been working on the increase in women’s teams at the Olympics for some time. On behalf of FIFA, I would like to thank the IOC administration for their collaboration with us over the past months to prepare this groundbreaking decision. We are very pleased with the outcome but, of course, we will continue with fully commitment our daily and sustained work across all relevant areas of the women’s game including competitions, technical and the regulatory landscape to unlock the undeniable potential it has everywhere in the world.”
FIFA has consistently advocated the expansion of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, including by having made a formal request to increase the number of women’s teams from 12 to 16 ahead of Paris 2024. This request was in line with Goal 7 of FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-2027, which calls for more opportunities for women and girls in football and at all levels of the game.
It also builds on the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, which was expanded from 24 to 32 teams, resulting in record-breaking engagement and showcasing the emerging talent from around the world. This move only increased the interest in the tournament, as eight debutant nations and an additional 184 players had the chance to perform on the global stage.
