The world governing body have previously faced criticism neglecting futsal, a game played on a hardcourt between two teams of five players each.

A men’s Futsal World Cup was first took place in The Netherlands in 1989 and been held regularly since.

FIFA had announced at a Council meeting last December that they planned to stage a Futsal Women’s World Cup but have now revealed more details, although a host still has to be named.

The month before that meeting a campaign video had been launched by the International Women’s Futsal Players Association (AJFSF) with players condemning FIFA’s "public neglect towards women futsal players".

The AJFSF demanded a "real commitment once and for all" to equality in the small-sided game.

"We are together for the first time in history to publicly denounce the discriminatory treatment," they said.

The event when it is finally launched will involve 16 countries, with four from Europe, three each from Asia and South America, two from Asia, Africa and North, Central America and Caribbean and one from Oceania.

A place will also be reserved for the host nation.

The sport has its roots in South America and was run by the International Futsal Federation until FIFA took it over in the 1980s.