The Women’s Football World Cup is due to be played in the United States in 2031 and the United Kingdom in 2035, unique candidates in the dispute, announced on Thursday (3) the president of FIFA (International Football Federation), Gianni Infantino.
“The path is open for the women’s World Cup to be played in 2031 and 2035 in two large countries, two major nations, with the aim of further promoting the women’s football movement,” Infantino said at the opening of the 49th UEFA Congress (Union of European Football Associations) in Belgrade.
Countries interested in organizing the competition should present the candidacy “in the first quarter” of 2025, according to FIFA documents, Infantino recalled.
“We received an application for 2031 and a valid dossier for 2035,” he added.
Four years after the 2027 World Cup, which will be played in Brazil, the United States will receive the Women’s Cup for the third time after the 1999 and 2003 editions.
By 2031, FIFA wants to expand the number of 32 selections, number of participants in 2023 to 48, similar to the expansion that the men’s tournament will adopt by 2026, which will also be played in the United States, alongside Mexico and Canada.
For the Women’s World Cup, the United States could establish an association with “other members of Concacaf,” according to Infantine.
The only candidacy valid for 2035 “comes from Europe, from the nations of origin of football,” said the president of the entity that runs world football, in reference to the British Isles, the federations of England, Ireland, North, Scotland and Wales.
The headquarters of the 2030 and 2034 male worlds were also defined in advance.
The 2030 World Cup will be organized by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. In addition, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will receive the first matches of their respective selections. The 2034 World Cup will be played in Saudi Arabia.
