January 13 – Qatar is in discussions with FIFA about hosting the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup, despite their national team having not played an official match for 12 years.
FIFA confirmed last month that the new competition will run from 5 to 30 January 2028, right in the middle of most domestic calendars, which will cause serious disruption to domestic leagues.
What it has not explained is why national leagues are once again expected to bend around a FIFA idea announced without a bidding process, and without meaningful consultation with stakeholders.
Qatar’s interest is hardly a surprise. Since staging the men’s World Cup in 2022, it has remained closely aligned with FIFA, and currently hosts the president, Gianni Infantino, who has a home in Doha. The Intercontinental Cup was held in Al-Rayyan last month, while Doha will host the men’s Finalissima between Spain and Argentina in March.
Now, the Guardian reports the Gulf State is in talks to become a somewhat controversial Women’s Club World Cup host given its stance on LGBQT+ rights.
Qatar also has a limited history in the women’s game. It formed a national team in 2009, but it hasn’t played in so long it remains unranked by FIFA.