The 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup was the first official world championship for women's football, establishing a global competitive standard for the sport.
Key Facts
- Tournament dates
- 16–30 November 1991
- Winner
- United States
- Final score
- United States 2–1 Norway
- Top scorer
- Michelle Akers – 10 goals
- Total attendance
- 510,000 spectators
- Match duration
- 80 minutes (unique to this edition)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
FIFA had conducted a prototype women's world championship — the 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament in Guangdong, China — to test the viability of a global women's competition. The success of that event led FIFA to sanction a full Women's World Cup, with China selected as host given its prior experience.
Twelve national teams competed in Guangdong, China from 16 to 30 November 1991 in the first FIFA Women's World Cup, officially called the 1st FIFA World Championship for Women's Football for the M&M's Cup. The United States, led by captain April Heinrichs and spearheaded by Carin Jennings and Michelle Akers, defeated Norway 2–1 in the final before 63,000 spectators at Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou.
The tournament established women's football as a legitimate global sport under FIFA governance. The United States' victory launched the profile of its national women's program, and the competition's format and rules — including match length and points system — were revised for the 1995 edition, signaling the event's evolution into a permanent fixture of international football.
Result
at Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou, China