Philippines to host 1st-ever Women's Futsal World Cup

MANILA, Philippines -- The first-ever FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup will kick off in the Philippines, the football federation said.

The inaugural futsal world cup will be held next year here in the Pearl of the Orient Seas, and will have automatic qualification as the host team.

A total of 16 teams will participate in the tourney.

FIFA said that aside from the Philippines, there will be three teams from the Asian Football Confederation who will qualify.

Two others from the Confederation of African Football will also participate, along with two teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.

Three other teams from the CONMEBOL Libertadores, a team from the Oceania Football Confederation and four from UEFA will head to Manila for the tournament.

The football governing body said the teams will be drawn in four groups of four. Two in each group will reach the knockout phase, where the quarterfinals, the semifinals, the third-place playoff and the final will be played.

According to the UEFA, futsal is an indoor football wherein two teams will have five players on each side.