Fifa wants to restrict women’s Olympic football to under-23s in controversial move

Fifa wants the International Olympic Committee to consider limiting women’s Olympic football to under-23 players, citing fixture congestion and the workload on senior players. No formal proposal has been made, and the rules for Los Angeles 2028 are already set, so any change could come no earlier than Brisbane 2032.

The idea would reshape a tournament that has been part of the women’s Olympic programme since 1996 and could face opposition from leading players and the IOC. The US have won five of the eight Olympic titles. Congestion is set to worsen in 2028, when Fifa’s new 16-team Women’s Club World Cup is scheduled in the US from 5 to 30 January, six months before the Olympics; the LA women’s tournament will have 16 teams, compared with 12 in the men’s event.