What is the Women's Champions Cup?

Arsenal will play in the inaugural 2026 Women's Champions Cup, taking place between the end of January and 1 February.

The intercontinental club competition will see the six winners of the continental club competition from each of Fifa's six confederations face other to be crowned world champions.

The format will emulate the old format of the men's Club World Cup.

The Gunners will be Europe's representatives after winning the Champions League by beating Barcelona in the final.

American side Gotham FC will represent Concacaf, Chinese outfit Wuhan Jiangda are the AFC team that will be involved and Auckland United from New Zealand will represent the Oceanian Football Confederation.

The teams from South America and Africa are yet to be confirmed.

The Women's Champions Cup will take place in a cycle of three years in every four, with the exception of the year in which another new tournament - the FIFA Women's Club World Cup - is held.

What is the format?

Arsenal, Gotham and the South American representative have all received byes to the semi-finals.

The first round will see Wuhan face Auckland for a place in the second round.

The winner of that match will face the side from Africa in the second round.

The winners of the second round tie will face Arsenal in the semi-finals, with Gotham and the team from South America playing in the other.

The winners of the two semi-finals will face each other in the final, while the losers will face off in the third-place play-off.

England has been confirmed as the host nation for the semi-finals, third-place play-off and final - although a venue is yet to be confirmed.

What are the fixtures?

First round

• October 8, 2025: Wuhan Jiangda v Auckland United - Wuhan

Second round

• December 2025: Caf representative v winner of Wuhan Jiangda/Auckland United - venue TBC

Semi-finals

• 28 January, 2026: Arsenal v second round winner - England
• 28 January, 2026: Gotham v Conmebol representative - England

Third place play-off

• 1 February, 2026: Loser of semi-final 1 v loser of semi-final 2 - England

Final

• 1 February, 2026: Winner of semi-final 1 v winner of semi-final 2 - England

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