United States and United Kingdom Confirmed as Hosts of the Next FIFA Women’s World Cups

FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that the United States and the United Kingdom will host the next two FIFA Women’s World Cups, in 2031 and 2035, respectively.United States to Host the 2031 Women’s World CupThe United States has been selected to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup, marking the third time the country will host the tournament. The FIFA decision came after the U.S. Soccer Federation submitted the only bid for the event. Although Mexico was initially part of a joint bid for 2027, the U.S. and Mexico withdrew the proposal for the 2027 edition, redirecting their efforts to 2031. The 2031 tournament is expected to expand to 48 teams, aligning with FIFA’s plans to broaden the competition.United Kingdom to Host the 2035 Women’s World CupThe United Kingdom will host the 2035 Women’s World Cup, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirming that the UK-led proposal with the United Nations was the only valid bid received. The joint bid includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. FA CEO Mark Bullingham expressed the honor of being the sole candidate and emphasized the importance of hosting the first FIFA World Cup in the UK since 1966. The proposal includes plans to utilize stadiums across all four nations, with minimum capacity requirements allowing facilities like Windsor Park in Belfast to be part of the event.Expansion of Tournament FormatBoth tournaments will feature an expanded format, with FIFA planning to increase the number of teams from 32 to 48 starting in 2031. This change reflects the growing global interest and investment in women’s football.Brazil to Host Next Year’s EventBrazil will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time, which will take place from June 24 to July 25, 2027, making it the first South American country to host the tournament.The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the tenth edition of the tournament, with 32 nations competing for glory. The competition has been held every four years since its first edition, the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China PR, where the U.S. defeated Norway in the final.Since then, the tournament has had seven different hosts and five nations have been crowned champions: U.S. (4), Germany (2), Norway, Japan, and Spain.Sources: Reuters, The Guardian and FIFA.COM