The official countdown to the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil has begun.

While most of the soccer world is focused on the men's 2026 World Cup, FIFA is prepping for next year's action in South America with a series of celebrations that kicked off in the host country yesterday.

Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer monument lit up in Brazil's national colors on Wednesday, marking exactly one year until the city welcomes fans and players to soccer's biggest stage. The tournament opens June 24th, 2027, making Brazil the first South American country to host the women's event.

2027 Women's World Cup Format Change & Qualified Teams

Next year's tournament will also signal another milestone for the growing women's game, as 2027 will be the final tournament featuring a 32 team format. In 2031, the competition expands to 48 teams — mirroring the men's World Cup.

As qualifying for the Women's World Cup continues later this year, 14 teams have already locked in their spots. Past champions Spain and host country Brazil have booked their tickets, as have Denmark, France, Germany, Australia, China PR, Japan, Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Philippines, Argentina, Colombia, and New Zealand.

Major players like the USWNT, England, Sweden, and Canada will get their chance to slot in their names in late 2026.

FIFA Chief Football Officer and former USWNT coach Jill Ellis said Brazil "sleeps and breathes football," and pointed to the country's deep soccer culture as a natural fit for the tournament next year. Meanwhile, Brazilian federation president Samir Xaud described the event as a "source of great pride" for the Brazilian people.

"It will be an opportunity to show the world our passion for football and, above all, the strength of Brazilian women’s football," he said. "We are certain that this will be a transformative World Cup, capable of inspiring girls in all regions of Brazil and leaving a lasting legacy."

England learned its path to the 2027 Women's World Cup on Wednesday. The Lionesses will face Greece in round one of the European qualifiers, with October's two-legged ties deciding who advances.

England's Road to the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil

Sarina Wiegman's side need to win two rounds of home-and-away fixtures to reach next year's World Cup in Brazil. If they get past Greece, Slovakia or Ukraine await in round two. England previously beat Ukraine 3-0 during the early stages of UEFA's World Cup qualifiers.

Still, the Lionesses were forced into the playoffs after Spain topped Group A1 and claimed Europe's automatic berth.

Round one of the playoffs kicks off the week of October 7th, with round two set for late November through early December.

Scotland face the Czech Republic first and could meet Sweden — semifinalists in three of the last four Women's World Cups — in round two. Wales drew Albania, a team they beat 4-0 in qualifying, while Northern Ireland takes on Portugal, and the Republic of Ireland travels to Kazakhstan.

"We're pleased with the draw against Greece, but the focus now is on making sure we're really well prepared," Wiegman said.

2027 UEFA Women's World Cup Qualifying Fixtures

Path 1

Path 2

Last night’s USWNT friendly was anything but, as the US edged out Brazil 1-0 in a wild, choppy, and chaotic clash that saw eight red-card ejections.

The Fortaleza showdown tallied 28 fouls, including more than 10 yellow cards. Brazil coach Arthur Elias, members of his staff, and As Canarinhas stars Bia Zaneratto, Tarciane, Kerolin, and Ludmila all earned reds.

It also marked the first US win over Brazil on Brazilian soil since 1997, after forward Sophia Wilson forced a 63rd-minute own goal for her second contribution in as many games.

After a week of chippy football and packed stadiums, the USWNT should leave with a better feel for the 2027 World Cup’s expected conditions — though they didn’t exactly charm the tournament’s host country.

“It’s a huge lack of respect, both from the refereeing and from their players,” Brazil midfielder Angelina said of the tense environment. “One of the USWNT players gave an interview saying it was a really nice atmosphere. But on the field, she was saying we were trash, that we didn’t know how to play football.”

“My job is to be a role model for my players,” said US coach Emma Hayes. “I can only talk about my behavior, and my behavior was good.”

Next summer, Brazil will welcome the world's best players when the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off on June 24th. The tournament, which marks a historic first for the continent, runs through July 25th across eight cities, from Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã to São Paulo's Arena Corinthians.

Once play begins, 32 nations will compete for the title across 64 matches. The expected lineup includes defending World Cup champion Spain and the US women's national team, a four-time winner chasing a fifth star.

Teams Already Qualified for the 2027 Women's FIFA World Cup

With Brazil earning an automatic spot as host, the remainder of the world's top teams have already begun their qualifying runs. So far, 10 additional nations from four different continental federations have punched tickets to South America.

While no teams from Concacaf or Africa's CAF have qualified yet, several paths remain open across the confederations.

Inside the Next Women's World Cup Qualification Format

UEFA is allotted 11 direct spots and one intercontinental playoff spot, with a qualifying campaign running February through December 2026. Four League A group winners qualify directly. The remaining seven European teams enter via two playoff rounds, while one final team enters through the intercontinental playoff.

Concacaf has four direct spots and two intercontinental playoff spots. Running November 24th through December 5th, the Concacaf W Championship features Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, and the USWNT. The four semifinalists qualify directly, while the four quarterfinal losers compete for two intercontinental playoff tickets.

CAF has four direct spots and two intercontinental playoff spots. All four semifinalists from the rescheduled 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations — now set for July 25th through August 16th — will qualify. Four quarterfinal losers then via for two intercontinental tournament slots.

CONMEBOL has three direct spots, including host Brazil, plus two intercontinental playoff spots. Argentina and Colombia have already claimed the two non-host spots. The third- and fourth-place CONMEBOL Women's Nations League finishers then enter via the intercontinental playoff tournament.

Ten teams from six confederations will later battle for the final three FIFA Women's World Cup spots through a two-phase knockout tournament. So far, three of the 10 playoff spots are taken by Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan, and Papua New Guinea.

Women's World Cup 2027 Format and Group Stage

When the 2027 Women's World Cup finally kicks off, the teams will be split into eight groups of four.

Each team subsequently plays three group-stage matches, before the top two from each group advance to a single-elimination knockout round starting with the Round of 16.

The Women's World Cup takes the field on June 24th, 2027, streamed exclusively on Netflix.

The USWNT is hunting redemption, closing out the month’s friendly series against Brazil in Fortaleza after dropping Saturday’s matchup 2-1 in São Paulo.

More than 40,000 fans are expected to fill the 57,000-seat stadium. That creates another boisterous atmosphere for a US national team still figuring out how to navigate the intensity. 

“This is something else,” USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said after Game 1.

“The way football is played here, the way football is experienced here, the way the crowd leans in as a 12th player… was an incredible experience, and one that is going to intensify tomorrow.”

Hayes also pointed to a structural disadvantage. 21 of the USWNT’s 26 players currently play in the NWSL, with the US league fielding far fewer matches per four-year World Cup cycle compared to its overseas counterparts. 

Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil plays about three times as many midweek games as the NWSL. Meanwhile, Europe’s top-flights engage in multiple in-season tournaments in addition to domestic commitments.

“We’ve got to be tougher in a lot of things, and we’ve got to be more durable," Hayes said. “We’ve got to expose ourselves to the elements of the game.”

Where to Watch Tonight's USWNT vs Brazil Friendly

The US kicks off against Brazil tonight at 8:30 PM ET, live on TNT.

The US women's national team lost the battle on Saturday, losing the USWNT vs Brazil showdown 2-1 in a tense, physical matchup inside São Paulo’s raucous Neo Química Arena.

Forward Sophia Wilson proved an early bright spot for the US, scoring the team’s lone goal in the second minute — her first international tally since 2024.

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But the team quickly conceded, as Tainá Maranhão netted an 11th-minute strike before KC Current alum Bia Zaneratto notched the 14th-minute game-winner.

Despite failing to equalize, the USWNT built a strong second-half response, with coach Emma Hayes identifying positives amid the adversity.

“It was an amazing atmosphere and it’s one that, as much as I can prepare my team for this, you don’t really know until you experience it,” Hayes said of the crowd. “If we want things to be easy, we stay home and we play in LA or somewhere else. But we don’t choose easy.”

“I’m really proud of our team because we stayed level-headed and we still created opportunities,” captain Lindsey Heaps said. “But it’s about having that experience to get that goal back and walk away with a result.”

Where to Watch USWNT vs Brazil Friendly

The US will try to split the series on Tuesday at 8:30 PM ET, live on TNT.

The USWNT is back in action tomorrow, kicking off the first of two friendlies against Brazil in another tough test ahead of November’s World Cup qualifiers.

It’s the USWNT’s first time playing As Canarinhas in Brazil since 2014 — and the team’s first road trip since its post-2024 Olympics European tour.

“This is another moment where we get to see how we cope with all of the environmental conditions that come with going to Brazil,” said manager Emma Hayes.

“This gives us an opportunity to really pick up some valuable lessons.”

Fans could see Triple Espresso trio Mallory Swanson, Sophia Wilson, and Trinity Rodman reunited on the pitch for the first time in nearly two years. Hayes recently named the strikers to this month’s 26-player USWNT roster.

“Just having my sisters back is amazing,” Rodman said. “And then on the field, I feel like our connection is so good.”

“It’s been super exciting just to see everyone again and getting caught up to speed,” added Swanson.

Where to Watch USWNT vs Brazil Friendly

The US takes on Brazil tomorrow at 5:30 PM ET, live on TBS.

The USWNT is pouring itself a triple shot of espresso, as attacking trio Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson, and Sophia Wilson headline today’s 26-player roster for next month’s friendlies in Brazil.

Swanson returns to the US women’s national team for the first time since 2024, joining “Triple Espresso” teammates Rodman and Wilson for the first time since winning the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“It’s fantastic for our team, both on and off the field, to have Trinity and our two soccer moms back on the same roster,” said Hayes, as Wilson and Swanson continue their returns from parental leave.

The USWNT will manage key absences against the 2027 World Cup host, as Naomi Girma nurses a lingering calf knock, Catarina Macario deals with a heel injury, and Sam Coffey recovers from knee surgery.

Third goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn is back in the lineup, alongside fellow returners Michelle Cooper, Croix Bethune, and Riley Jackson.

“Few challenges in women’s international soccer compare to facing Brazil in Brazil, so we’re excited for the valuable lessons this experience will bring,” Hayes added.

The US kicks off against Brazil on June 6th at 5:30 PM ET, live on TBS.

The USWNT sealed the deal on Friday, silencing Japan 3-0 to return to league play with a 2-1 friendly series win.

All three goals came in the second half. Defender Naomi Girma broke the stalemate off a corner kick, before midfielder Rose Lavelle doubled the lead on a Trinity Rodman assist. Then, defender Kennedy Wesley subsequently polished things off with her first-ever senior team goal.

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“I think you could feel that there was a goal coming,” Wesley said postgame. “We had a lot of good chances... The team has been working so hard to wrap this camp up on a good note and show all the details that we have been working on, so it was a great showing from the group.”

“I think we’ve been really clear about what’s important to us, the process is always of the highest order,” said US manager Emma Hayes. “Have we made progress in these three games? A million percent.”

Friday’s lineup drew from the previous starting XIs: veterans coming off a win and a young squad smarting from a loss. The team managed to effectively hold possession while generating attacking power against an organized Japan.

Defender Tierna Davidson earned her first start of the series as she works her way back from last year’s ACL tear. Up front, Rodman teamed up with Alyssa Thompson and Sophia Wilson to form another magnetic partnership.

“You can’t become elite without rehearsal, failure, and learning — it doesn’t go in a straight line,” Hayes continued. “Of course I want to win every game, but not at the expense of what we’re trying to build.”

USWNT Rumored to Face Brazil in June Friendly

FIFA’s next international window arrives in June, as recent rumors link the US to a showdown with 2027 World Cup host Brazil in São Paulo.

While SC Corinthians fell just short of the inaugural intercontinental title on Sunday, the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup final did prove a massive success for the Brazil league's champions, scoring the highest viewership for a women's club match in the South American country's history.

Brazilian network CazéTV covered the competition's semifinals and final, with the broadcaster registering more than 1 million concurrent streams during Sunday's championship match — a viewership that rivals Brazil's 2023 World Cup group-stage games.

Perhaps even more impressive, Sunday's 3-2 extra-time loss to WSL side Arsenal also coincided with Corinthians' men's team's Brazil Super Cup battle, stressing the growing popularity of the club's women's squad.

"It doesn't matter if it's basketball or football, women's or men's, I'm a Corinthian supporter," a traveling Brazilian fan told The Athletic, with many news outlets reporting on the team's sizable fan support at the FIFA tournament in London last week.

Sunday's Champions Cup viewership also reflects the Brazil club's overall rising attendance, with the team featuring in every one of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A1 league's five highest-attended matches — and winning the Top 4.

Claiming seven of the last eight league championships — including the last six straight trophies — Corinthians' 2024 title match against São Paulo saw 44,529 fans pack Neo Química Arena, netting the largest crowd at a women's club soccer match in South American history.

The fan clamor for Corinthians bodes well for another upcoming FIFA tournament, with Brazil preparing to host the first-ever World Cup in South America in 2027.

"Football is about love and Brazil loves football," said Brazilian soccer legend Marta in a video for a 2027 World Cup event just last month. "Our country is ready to embrace the women's game with pride, emotion and belief."