NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman warned on Wednesday that the growing number of competitions in women's football needs careful coordination between organisers to avoid overloading players, as FIFA prepares to launch its inaugural Women's Club World Cup.
The new 19-team tournament is set to take place in January 2028, roughly six months after the Women's World Cup in Brazil. The timing falls in the middle of the season for Europe's top domestic leagues but during the NWSL's close season. Berman pointed to rising numbers of ACL injuries as a reason for stakeholders to work together more closely.
Speaking to reporters at the Leaders Week sports industry conference at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge, Berman said: "I think this next phase of growth really requires a ton of communication and collaboration between the different stakeholders, or tournament organisers, because we're all leveraging the same players for these different tournaments."
She added: "And we must communicate to make sure that we're optimising for their performance in a way that allows for us all to have the longevity and sustainability that we're looking to achieve."
On the details of the new competition itself, Berman said she was still waiting for clarity from FIFA. "So, I think more details (are) to come from FIFA. We too are waiting for additional information about everything from the location to the format to the structure, and we will hope to continue to work with FIFA on making sure that it's curated in a way that supports the growth of the game globally," she said.
British media reports this month said the United States is in advanced talks to host the tournament. Asked about that possibility, Berman said it could benefit her own league. "I think there's a lot of opportunity if it were to be hosted in America," she said. "I think I'd want to hear more about what the plans would be, but certainly (with) that exposure there could be benefits for our league and so we'll continue to be available to discuss opportunities that might exist in our market."
Berman, who has been NWSL commissioner since 2022, did not set an upper limit on how many teams the league could eventually expand to, but said 20 clubs would be the "next touch point."
How the Women's Club World Cup Will Work
The Women's Club World Cup will feature six teams in a play-in stage, with the three winners advancing to join 13 other clubs in the group stage. The format calls for four groups of four teams. The AFC, CAF, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL confederations will each receive two direct slots, while UEFA will be allocated five berths.
