Fifa has confirmed that Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã stadium will host both the opening match and the final of next year's Women's World Cup in Brazil, the first time the tournament has been staged in South America. The venue, with a capacity of 78,838, previously hosted the men's World Cup finals in 1950 and 2014 and the 2016 Olympic football final, giving next year's showpiece added historical weight and prestige.

Fifa released the full 64-match schedule on Thursday, with Brazil's opening Group A game and the final on 24 June and 25 July respectively falling at the Maracanã. Arena Itaquera in São Paulo will stage the most matches of any venue, ten in total, while São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro will host the semi-finals, with São Paulo also holding the bronze medal match. Belo Horizonte, the site of Brazil's 7-1 defeat to Germany in 2014, will stage a quarter-final, alongside Fortaleza, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, with Porto Alegre and Recife also involved. The tournament is the 10th edition of the Women's World Cup and the second to feature 32 teams, following the 2023 edition co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, which Spain won.