November 6 – FIFA wants the IOC to restrict the women’s Olympic football tournament to under-23 players, citing fixture congestion and the workload on senior players.
No formal proposal has been made, and eligibility for LA 2028 is already set, with qualifying under way in some regions. Any change could only apply from Brisbane 2032. But sources at both organisations told the Guardian they are open to talks, which would also involve players and major associations.
It would be a major change.
The women’s Olympic tournament has been open to senior players since it began at Atlanta 1996, unlike the men’s competition, which has had an under-23 limit with three overage players since 1992. For many players, Olympic gold sits alongside the World Cup as the biggest prize in the game. The US have won five of the eight titles, including under Emma Hayes in Paris in 2024.
The IOC may resist the proposal. Women’s football is a major commercial draw for the Games, especially in the US, Europe and Australia, and in Los Angeles the women’s tournament will have 16 teams to the men’s 12, the first time it has been larger.
FIFA’s argument about congestion is undermined by its own scheduling and international calendar ambitions. It is staging the first women’s Club World Cup in the US from January 5 to 30, 2028, six months before the Olympics. English clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City could miss up to a month of their domestic season, including four WSL games and an FA Cup round.
The proposal follows a familiar pattern. FIFA spent decades limiting men’s Olympic football to protect the World Cup, keeping professionals out until 1984 before pushing for the age limit. Critics are likely to see the same motive here, with FIFA’s own women’s tournaments growing quickly.
Expect strong opposition from players, who have repeatedly said the Olympics is one of the highlights of their careers.
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