Gianni Infantino Says He Wants to Expand Women's World Cup, Double Prize Money

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said he would be open to expanding the Women's World Cup in the future.

The 2019 edition includes 24 teams, having been enlarged from 16 in 2015. In 1991, when the first-ever Women's World Cup was held, there were just 12 participating nations.

With the popularity of the women's game growing and a thrilling tournament in France set to reach a conclusion in Sunday's final, Infantino said he would ponder including another eight teams in upcoming World Cups, per Reuters' Christian Radnedge:

"I want to expand the tournament to 32 teams. We will have to act quickly to decide if we are to increase it for 2023, if we do, we should reopen the bidding process to allow everyone to have a chance or maybe co-host. Nothing is impossible."

It's added that Infantino is also considering doubling the prize money after the current competition, which he described as "the best women's World Cup ever."

The FIFA chief also pledged to invest more money in the women's game to "raise the standard all over the world."

Rob Harris of the Associated Press detailed how the prize money for the women's tournament compares to that of the men's:

BBC Sport's Dan Roan commented on Infantino's proposals:

The 2019 World Cup, which will see 2015 winners the United States go up against European champions the Netherlands in the final on Sunday, has captured the imagination of many.

While there were some lopsided games in the group stages—the U.S. beat Thailand by a record 13-0 scoreline—overall the matches have been competitive, with the gap between the elite teams and developing outfits closing.

The fact the Netherlands are in the final is an example of how quickly a team can progress with the right tools in place, per football writer Richard Laverty:

Meanwhile, there appears to be more interest than ever in the women's game in various countries, with England's semi-final against the United States attracting record television viewing figures:

Infantino has previously made it clear he's keen on expanding the men's World Cup from 32 to 48 teams. However, proposals to enlarge the field for the 2022 World Cup have been shelved, per BBC Sport.

The FIFA president also said he would be open to setting up a Club World Cup for women's teams.