April 3 (UPI) — The United States is set to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup, as the lone bidder for the tournament, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Thursday at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade.
The United Kingdom also is on track to host the tournament in 2035. That joint bid from Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales was the only valid one made for that edition of the tournament.
“Today I can confirm, As part of the bidding process, we received one bid for 2031 and one bid, valid bid, I should add for 2035,” Infantino said.
“The 2031 bid is from the United States of America and potentially some other CONCACAF members together and the 2035 bid is from Europe, from the home nations. So the path is there for the Women’s World Cup to be taking place in 2031 and 2035 in some great countries and some great nations to boost even more the women’s football movement.”
The United Kingdom has never hosted a Women’s World Cup. The United States hosted the tournament in 1999 and 2003.
“We are honored to be the sole bidder for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035,” English Football Association president Mark Bullingham said in a news release.
“Hosting England’s first FIFA World Cup since 1966, along with our home nations partners, will be very special. The hard work starts now, to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year.”
Infantino also told reporters that FIFA wants to expand the Women’s World Cup field from 32 to 48 teams.
U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation announced last April that they withdrew a joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup to focus on a 2031 bid. That tournament will be held in Brazil.
Mexico is expected to be a joint host for the 2031 tournament. The 2025 Men’s World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
