Decision just a few days before the announcement of the winning candidacy. FPF is focused on preparing for the 2030 World Cup.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) withdrew the candidacy to the organization of 2029 Women’s European Championshipannounced the organization led by Pedro Proença.
Portugal was competing with Germany, Poland and the joint organization of Denmark and Sweden to host the 15th edition of the European Championship, the host of which will be announced on December 3rd.
In a statement, the FPF justifies the decision with the concentration in the preparation of the Ibero-Moroccan organization of 2030 World Cup.
“In total harmony with UEFA and ensuring total focus on organizing the World Cup 2030, management validated the decision to withdraw the candidacy for organizing the 2029 Women’s European Championship,” reads the FPF statement.
In the communication resulting from the federative management meeting, the organization announced that it had approved the creation of a women’s football departmentgiven the “need to invest, over the next four years, in the internal consolidation of the sport, through the reinforcement of competitive frameworks and investment in the development of clubs, coaches and players”.
The bid to organize the 2029 Women’s European Football Championship dates back to September 2024, when the FPF was led by Fernando Gomes, current president of the Portuguese Olympic Committee.
“We believe that a candidacy to organize the European Championship in 2029 will be another step towards consolidating women’s football in Portugal”, Gomes then justified.
“Shock”
“I must say that it’s a shock”, begins by reacting Isabel Osório, commentator on .
“Not understanding the concrete why of this decision, because it doesn’t seem to me that the candidatures for the women’s European Championship and the men’s World Cup have anything to do with each other. In fact, it even made Portuguese football and the federation itself great.”
The technical coordinator of Atlético Ouriense, who was part of Sporting’s technical team, laments: “Once again, the women were passed over for men’s football. As for me, a former football player, coach and very involved with women’s issues, it is with great sadness and shock that I am aware of this decision by the federation”.
Isabel Osório adds that this type of sporting events develops women’s sport. This decision is a “times-face in the development of the football played by them in Portugal. It is a great shame that this happens.”
Portugal was present in the last three editions of the women’s European Championships: 2017, in the Netherlands, 2022, in England, and 2025, in Switzerland. He was always in last place in his group.
