Fifa wants to restrict women's Olympic football to under-23s in controversial move

Fifa is proposing the IOC restrict women's Olympic football to under-23s from 2032 onwards due to fixture congestion, though the IOC is open to dialogue.

Fifa has proposed to the International Olympic Committee that women's Olympic football be restricted to under-23 players, citing concerns over fixture congestion and player workload in the increasingly crowded calendar.

The eligibility criteria for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics have already been set with qualification tournaments underway, so any change cannot take effect until the Brisbane 2032 Games at the earliest. Sources at both organisations told the Guardian they are open to dialogue, though no formal proposal has yet been made.

The move would be controversial and could provoke backlash from leading international players, as the Olympics has long been regarded as a highlight of the women's football calendar. The IOC may also resist, given women's football's major commercial appeal, particularly in the US, Europe and Australia. The men's tournament has operated under an under-23 restriction since 1992, with three overage players permitted per squad. Women's football was introduced to the Olympics in 1996 without age restrictions.