Royal Spanish Football Federation has formally expressed its intention to host the first edition of the Women’s Futsal World Cup in 2025 by submitting its candidacy to FIFA. The deadline for expressions of interest from interested countries was December 4. RFEF hopes to receive clarity on the timeline for submitting the bid and the overall process, leading to the final selection of the host country.
The Italian Federation of Football was the first country to declare its desire to host the historic event on November 27. It’s worth noting that on October 4, FIFA confirmed that the inaugural tournament would take place in 2025 but did not disclose details about the venue or dates. As a result, more countries are expected to express interest in hosting the event.
With no official calendar or organizer in place, the only certainty is that the tournament will feature 16 participating teams. FIFA has allocated places among different confederations, with 3 for the Asian (AFC), 2 for the African (CAF), 2 for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), 3 for the South American team (CONMEBOL), 1 for Oceania (OFC), 4 for the European (UEFA), in addition to the host country.
Futsal Players Association, led by Natalia Orive, protested before FIFA, with the president confirming that both Italy and Spain have presented their candidacy at the European level to organize the World Cup. Orive expressed hope that FIFA would choose Spain. Emphasizing that it would be a great success and fair.
Using the success of the women’s soccer team as an example, Orive highlighted the positive impact of winning the World Cup.
In inspiring young girls to see futsal players as role models. This, she believes, would contribute to increased participation in the sport.
UEFA has taken the lead in organizing the European qualifying phase for the first World Cup, scheduled in three stages between April 2024 and April 2025. Stages will be held as mini-tournaments at a single venue, including the preliminary round (May 14-19), main round, and elite round. Spain, a three-time European champion, and Portugal, the runner-up, will directly participate in the elite round.
The Spanish team, gearing up for the World Cup, will face Sweden in two friendly matches. Coach Claudia Pons expressed the team’s excitement. Stating that the World Cup is a long-term dream and a significant goal for them. Pons acknowledged the challenging road ahead but emphasized the importance of starting preparations now.
Apart from the World Cup, Spain will also participate in the fourth edition of the European Championship in 2025. Pons acknowledged the lack of information but expressed the team’s commitment to improvement. Closing the season with matches against Brazil, Japan, and Portugal.
