The first women’s World Cup arrived late but decidedly with impact. Between November 16 and 30, 1991, the People’s Republic of China hosted the inaugural edition, selecting the southern Guangdong region for the event. Five cities—Canton, Foshan, Jiangmen, Panyu, and Zhongshan—served as venues, following the momentum built by the 1988 International Women’s Football Tournament pilot project and signaling a new era for the women’s game on the world stage.
Step by step
The tournament captured broad public interest and drew an average crowd of about 20,000 spectators per match. The event featured several distinctive characteristics that set it apart from its male counterpart. Matches ran for eighty minutes, divided into two equal halves, and victories earned two points rather than the three now common in men’s football.
A total of 12 teams competed, divided into three groups of four. China, the United States, and Germany topped their groups, while Norway, Sweden, and Italy claimed the runners-up spots. Denmark and Chinese Taipei advanced to the knockout stage as the best second-place teams from the third-place standings. Sweden and Germany reached the semifinals, with Sweden claiming bronze after defeating Germany 4-0 in the third-place match.
The final brought together Norway and the United States in a tightly contested clash that ultimately crowned the United States as the champion. The American squad, already embarking on a legacy, claimed the title in a hard-fought 2–1 victory, adding a pivotal chapter to the history of women’s international football and establishing dominance in the early decade of World Cup play.
Michelle Akers, a player of record
Two of the United States’ early World Cup milestones were achieved by Michelle Akers, then a standout forward from California. She scored memorable goals in the final, helping her team secure a historic triumph. Akers finished the tournament as the top scorer with ten goals, a remarkable tally that underscored her role in shaping the competition’s early narrative and setting a high bar for future generations.
Her prolific performance continued beyond the final, as she delivered five goals during the quarterfinal against Chinese Taipei. That unprecedented scoring feat stood as the single-game record for a quarterfinal in Women’s World Cup history until 2019, when it matched by another American star, Alex Morgan, at the tournament held in France. These exploits highlighted not only Akers’s talent but also the growing depth of the United States team during the early years of the competition, a period when major nations were building their strategies and programs around female footballers who would become icons of the sport.
In reflection, the 1991 edition laid a solid foundation for women’s international soccer, demonstrating the viability of a global tournament and codifying a standard for future generations. The event’s blend of competitive play, national pride, and rising stars signaled a shift in perception—one where women’s football could attract serious audiences, command attention from national federations, and inspire young players across continents. The 1991 World Cup thus stands not only as a historical milestone but also as a catalyst for ongoing growth and professional development in women’s soccer, with the United States and its players playing a central role in the sport’s evolving narrative.