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