Arabic version: فيفا تسعى إلى محادثات بشأن تحديد سن لاعبات كرة القدم الأولمبية تحت 23 عاماً
According to The Guardian, Fifa wants discussions with the International Olympic Committee about restricting the women’s Olympic football tournament to under-23 players. The governing body is concerned about fixture congestion and the workload placed on senior international players.
No formal proposal has been made, and the eligibility rules for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics have already been set, with qualifying tournaments under way in some regions. Any change could therefore not take effect before the Brisbane 2032 Games. Sources at Fifa and the IOC said both organisations were open to dialogue.
Fifa is understood to want input from players, leading member associations and other stakeholders. Introducing an age limit would substantially change an event long regarded as a major highlight of the women’s international calendar. The United States, coached by Emma Hayes, won gold in Paris in 2024; the US have won five of the eight Olympic women’s titles.
Women’s football entered the Olympics at Atlanta in 1996 without eligibility requirements. The men’s tournament, by contrast, adopted an under-23 restriction in 1992 after pressure from Fifa, with three overage players permitted in each squad since 1996. The women’s tournament at Los Angeles will contain 16 teams, compared with 12 in the men’s event, reversing the numbers used at Paris 2024. Fifa and the IOC declined to comment.
