FIFA has officially announced that the Women’s World Cup will expand to 48 teams starting in 2031 — but questions remain about whether this move will help or hinder major broadcasters, especially in the U.S., where Netflix is expected to be a major player.

 

The expansion follows a trend across global sports, particularly in international soccer. The men’s World Cup is set to grow from 32 to 48 teams in 2026, and now the women’s tournament will follow suit, with the 2031 edition to be hosted in the United States.

 

While more teams might sound like good news for fans and federations, it’s a more complicated equation for broadcasters. Adding more teams means more matches, potentially more viewers — but also a higher risk of lopsided games, and a longer tournament that may dilute interest.

 

In men’s soccer, expansion has sparked debate over competitive balance. Despite the dominance of elite teams, tournaments have produced memorable upsets — from Greece winning UEFA Euro 2004 to Morocco and Croatia reaching the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup. Even teams that missed the cut in past 32-team formats have sometimes proven competitive against stronger sides.

 

Women’s soccer has had its own surprises — Japan’s 2011 World Cup win and Canada’s gold medal at the 2021 Olympics (officially the 2020 Games) — but these have usually come from within the top 12 to 16 ranked teams. There’s concern that bringing in lower-ranked nations may lead to more one-sided matches and affect viewer engagement.

 

It’s also worth noting how rapidly the Women’s World Cup has expanded in a short time. The men’s tournament began with 13 teams in 1930 and only reached 32 teams by 1998. In contrast, the women’s competition launched with 12 teams in 1991, expanded to 16 in 1999, 24 in 2015, and 32 in 2023. Reaching 48 by 2031 marks an unprecedented rate of growth.

 

The key question now is how platforms like Netflix — which are expected to bid for broadcasting rights — will navigate this expanded format. Will a longer tournament help them draw in more subscribers and international audiences? Or will the early rounds struggle to maintain engagement?

 

What’s clear is that 2031 will mark a new era for women’s soccer — and one that could redefine how global audiences experience the game.