FIFA has confirmed the qualification routes for the inaugural Women’s Champions Cup, scheduled from January 28 to February 1, 2026, www.aclsports.com reports.
The tournament will bring together top women’s club champions from six continents to compete for what promises to become the sport’s most prestigious club prize.
Already qualified for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup are Arsenal (UEFA Champions League winners), Gotham FC (Concacaf W Champions Cup champions), Auckland United (OFC Champions League winners), and Wuhan Jiangda (AFC Champions League winners).
The final two spots will go to the winners of the CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina in October and the CAF Women’s Champions League in November.
Bayelsa Queens, who reclaimed the NWFL Premiership last season, could represent Africa. A CAF Champions League win would see them face the December knockout winner between Wuhan Jiangda and Auckland United for a semi-final spot.
The tournament kicks off in October 2025, with Round 2 in December, and the final phase from January 28 to February 1, 2026, featuring semi-finals, a third-place playoff, and the grand final.
The Women’s Champions Cup will be held annually, except in years when the quadrennial FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, launching in 2028, takes place to determine the world’s premier women’s club team.
FIFA’s qualification structure gives teams like Bayelsa Queens a clear pathway to the global stage and sets up a landmark first edition of the Women’s Champions Cup.
