USA to Host 2031 Women's World Cup and UK in 2035, FIFA President Announces
The Women's World Cup is coming back to the United States for a third time.
ESPN's Emily Keogh noted Thursday that FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the United States is in line to host the 2031 event. What's more, the United Kingdom will host the tournament in 2035 thanks to a joint bid from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"As part of the bidding process, we received one bid for '31 and one bid, valid bid, I should add for '35," Infantino said.
"The '31 bid is from the United States of America and potentially some other Concacaf members together, and the '36 bid is from Europe from the Home Nations so the path is there for the Women's World Cup to be taking place in '31 and '35 in some great countries and some great nations to boost even more the women's football movement."
The United States previously hosted the 1999 and 2003 Women's World Cups, but this will be the first time the United Kingdom hosts the tournament.
Yet England has plenty of momentum when it comes to women's soccer after winning the Women's Euros in 2022 on home soil. Keogh noted hosting the 2035 World Cup could set the stage for the men's team to host a future World Cup for the first time since 1966.
"We are honoured to be the sole bidder for the Women's World Cup 2035," England FA CEO Mark Bullingham said. "Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 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."
As for the United States, it is also part of a trio of North American countries that will host the men's World Cup in 2026 alongside Canada and Mexico.
The international spotlight will then shift to Brazil as the host of the 2027 Women's World Cup, which will be the final one before the tournament expands from 32 nations to 48 teams in the 2031 event that will happen Stateside.
Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup, which was the first time the Oceania nations of Australia and New Zealand hosted.
It was Spain's first title as it and the rest of the world attempt to catch up to the Americans. The U.S. has won the tournament a record four times (1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019), while Germany is the only other nation to win it multiple times (2003 and 2007).
