UK football authorities on Friday released full details of their unopposed joint bid to stage the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The bid outlined plans to potentially use 2 host stadiums across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The bid team said the expanded 48-team finals would be “the biggest single-sport event ever staged in the UK” and the first World Cup on British soil since England hosted the men’s tournament in 1966.
In their submission, officials highlighted the accessibility of the proposed tournament. “With 63 million people living within two hours of a proposed venue, it would be the most accessible tournament ever,” the bid team said. Sixteen of the shortlisted stadiums are located in England, with the remaining six spread across the other home nations.
The chief executives of the four football associations welcomed the opportunity to bring the tournament to the UK. “Hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup would be a huge privilege for our four home nations,” they said in a joint statement. “If we are successful, the 2035 tournament will be the biggest single-sport event held on UK soil with 4.5 million tickets available for fans.” They added that the event would help accelerate the rapid growth of women’s football.
Manchester United’s current Old Trafford stadium is included in the bid, but officials plan to propose the club’s new ground once construction plans are finalised.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the bid, saying it reflects the country’s deep football culture. “The Lionesses’ success has inspired girls across our country, and we’ll build on that momentum by welcoming millions of football fans from around the world to a tournament that will benefit communities and businesses in host cities up and down the UK,” he said.
The Women’s World Cup will expand to 48 teams from 2031. The next edition will be held in Brazil in 2027.Mexico, Costa Rica Jamaica and the United States are presenting a joint bid for 2031.
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