UK to host World Cup as FIFA chief Gianni Infantino says ‘one legitimate bid’
The UK is set to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup after FIFA president Gianni Infantino described its interest as the “one valid bid” for those finals.
The football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales announced last month they would submit a joint expression of interest in hosting the finals in 10 years’ time.
The deadline for initial expressions of interest passed on Monday and, although Spain’s federation president Rafael Louzan last week announced his country’s intention to bid alongside Portugal and Morocco, Infantino indicated the UK bid was the only one being considered.
“We received one bid for 2031 and one bid – one valid bid I should add – for 2035,” he said at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade. “The 2035 bid is from Europe, from the home nations.”
Infantino also confirmed that the USA looks poised to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup as the sole bid. While Brazil are the confirmed host of the 2027 tournament.
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have already joined forces to host Euro 2028. And England previously hosted the Women’s European Championships in 2022.
The Lionesses lifted the Women’s Euros for the first time in 2022 at Wembley, beating Germany in the final. The tournament was hosted at 10 venues in eight cities across England.
England women’s narrowly missed out on lifting the World Cup in 2023 following a 1-0 defeat in the final to Spain in Sydney.
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The growth of the women’s game, alongside the expanded tournament from 24 to 32 countries, and the edition being hosted across the four home nations, means potential venues could see a major rise in stature and capacity from the 2022 competition.
The 10 host stadiums for the 2022 Euros were Wembley, Old Trafford, Bramall Lane, St Mary’s Stadium, AMEX Stadium, Stadium MK, Gtech Community Stadium, AESSEAL New York Stadium, Leigh Sports Village and Manchester City’s Academy Stadium.
