OFFICIAL: FIFA makes a ruling, Vietnam's path to the World Cup is easier than ever

FIFA has decided to increase the total number of teams participating in the Women's World Cup to 48, opening up a tremendous opportunity for the Vietnamese women's national team.

According to the latest information, FIFA has officially confirmed the increase in the total number of teams participating in the Women's World Cup finals from 32 to 48 starting in 2031. Thus, the number of teams participating in the Women's World Cup and the Men's World Cup after 2031 will officially be balanced, as the Men's World Cup already has 48 teams from 2026.

Therefore, the Vietnamese women's national team will have many opportunities to qualify for the Women's World Cup finals. Currently, the Asian region has 6 direct slots and 2 slots from the intercontinental play-off when the total number of teams is 32. When the total number of teams participating in the 2031 Women's World Cup increases from 32 to 48, the Asian region will have 8 to 10 guaranteed slots.

This will be an unparalleled opportunity for the Vietnamese women's national team to seek their next chance to participate in the Women's World Cup finals after their first appearance in 2023. Recently, being eliminated from the group stage of the Women's Asian Cup caused coach Mai Đức Chung and his team to miss the opportunity to compete for a spot in the 2027 World Cup, even though the chance was quite open.

It should also be noted that the 2026 Asian Cup will be the last time the Asian finals also serve as the qualification stage for the Women's World Cup. Starting with the 2031 World Cup, the Asian region will have a separate qualification process, similar to men's football currently, possibly divided into multiple stages to determine the teams qualifying for the Women's World Cup.

Mexico and the United States will be the main host countries for the 2031 Women's World Cup, with Costa Rica and Jamaica also hosting matches. This will be the first time Mexico hosts the FIFA Women's World Championship, making it the seventh country – after Sweden, the United States, Germany, France, Canada, and Brazil – to have hosted both the Men's and Women's World Cups.

The expansion of the Women's World Cup finals from 32 to 48 teams follows the success of the FIFA Women's World Championship 2023, where the number of participating teams increased from 24 to 32. The rapid development of women's football in the 2020s has led to a similar expansion possibility as seen in the Men's World Cup finals.

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