The men's World Cup has barely finished, and already attention is turning to next summer's Women's World Cup in Brazil. Spain, freshly crowned world champions in the men's game, will arrive as defending champions on the women's side too, having beaten England 1-0 in the 2023 final in Sydney. It sets up a fascinating parallel: can La Roja complete a rare double for Spanish football on the global stage?
That 2023 triumph was built on a golden generation, led by Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, alongside emerging talent like Salma Paralluelo. The quality of that squad has drawn comparisons across the sport - even men's stars have taken notice. Rodri, speaking after Spain's men lifted their own trophy, said of Bonmati, "I'm trying to see if I can get to her level," a reminder of how conversations around football's biggest names increasingly cross gender lines, echoing broader debates like those explored in cancelo defends ronaldo neymar world cup criticism, where the scrutiny placed on elite players is examined from a different angle entirely.
United States Looks to Rebound
For the United States, the memories of 2023 sting rather differently. A round-of-16 exit to Sweden marked one of the earliest departures in the program's history, a shock for a team that has won four World Cup titles and remains ranked No. 2 in the world. Coach Emma Hayes now has October friendlies against Spain to work with - two matches on home soil that double as preparation for CONCACAF qualifying, which begins in Texas in late November. Midfielder Lily Yohannes, who has faced several of Spain's stars in the Champions League, called the fixtures "a really great opportunity" to measure the squad against the sport's benchmark.
Brazil's Long Wait Continues
As hosts, Brazil qualify automatically, but the pressure to finally win a first Women's World Cup title on home soil is real. Aline Pellegrino, former Brazil defender and now an executive with the tournament's organizing body, described a shift in how the women's game is treated in the country, pointing to strong crowds during Brazil's recent matches against the United States as evidence of growing momentum. Much of the domestic narrative still centers on Marta, Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 122 goals, who came out of international retirement for the Copa America Femenina and will be 41 when the tournament kicks off.
Qualification Takes Shape
Fourteen nations have already secured their spots, including Japan, Germany, France, Argentina, Australia and China, among others. Germany, two-time former champions, sit at No. 3 in the world rankings, underlining the depth of competition Spain and the U.S. will face. All eight Brazilian host cities - Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife and Salvador - previously staged men's World Cup matches in 2014, giving organizers a blueprint for infrastructure and logistics. Notably, this will be the last edition played with 32 teams before the competition expands to 48, matching the men's format, ahead of a 2031 tournament expected to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
