How many women's national football teams are there

Understanding the landscape of women's national football

Determining the exact number of women's national football teams is a complex task, primarily because it relies on affiliation with FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), the international governing body of football. Not every entity that could field a team necessarily does or is officially recognized. The number also fluctuates slightly as new associations join FIFA, or existing ones become inactive.

Generally, we can say that there are roughly 211 FIFA member associations, the same as the number of men's national teams. However, the active participation and strength of the women's program vary considerably across these associations. Some, like the United States, Germany, and Brazil, have robust women's football infrastructures, while others are still developing their programs.

Fifa membership and participation

FIFA's primary role is to oversee the sport globally, organize major tournaments like the Women's World Cup, and set standards for the game. Membership provides access to funding programs, technical assistance, and, importantly, eligibility to participate in FIFA-sanctioned competitions.

While all 211 member associations technically could have a women's national team, practical constraints like funding, lack of infrastructure, social barriers, and prioritization of other sports often limit actual participation. Therefore, focusing on those who actively participate in qualifying tournaments and major championships offers a more realistic view of the active women's national teams.

Active participation in major tournaments

A good indicator of active women's national teams is their participation in qualifying for the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Olympic Games. During the qualification cycles for these tournaments, a significant number of teams from each continent compete for a coveted spot.

For instance, in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification process, over 150 national teams actively participated from across various confederations (UEFA, AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC). This number gives us a better snapshot of the actively competing nations. It's important to remember that participation varies cycle to cycle, as teams develop or face varying challenges. For example, smaller island nations in the Caribbean or Pacific may only occasionally field a team due to logistical and financial constraints.

Confederation breakdown

To further understand the distribution of women's national teams, let's look at each of FIFA's six confederations:

• UEFA (Europe): Contains a high percentage of actively competitive women's national teams. Most European nations invest in women's football, leading to strong leagues and national team programs. Examples include England, Spain, France, and the Netherlands.
• AFC (Asia): Has a mix of established and developing women's football nations. Japan, Australia, and South Korea are powerhouses, while other nations are working to build their programs.
• CAF (Africa): Faces significant challenges in developing women's football, but progress is being made. Nigeria, South Africa, and Cameroon have consistently represented the continent in major tournaments.
• CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean): Dominated by the United States and Canada, but other nations like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica are showing promise.
• CONMEBOL (South America): Brazil and Colombia are leading forces, but other nations like Argentina and Chile are making strides.
• OFC (Oceania): New Zealand is the dominant force, with other nations like Papua New Guinea and Fiji working to develop their programs.

Conclusion: a dynamic number

pinpointing an exact number for "how many women's national football teams are there" is difficult. While FIFA has 211 member associations, a more accurate representation of actively competing teams is in the range of 150-170 based on participation in major tournament qualifiers. This number is dynamic, changing with FIFA membership and the increasing investment in women's football globally. The global growth of women's football means we can expect this number to continue to rise in the coming years.

It's important to remember that these numbers reflect official FIFA recognition and active participation in their sanctioned competitions. Many unofficial or amateur teams exist around the world which are not included in the officially counted number.