UK poised to host 2035 Women’s World Cup and US lands 2031 tournament

The United Kingdom appears certain to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup after Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, announced it is the sole bidder for the tournament.

Infantino confirmed in an address to Uefa’s annual congress in Belgrade that the UK had a clear path to staging the event. He also named the USA, probably alongside other Concacaf members, as the only candidate for the 2031 edition. Fifa intends to expand the Women’s World Cup to 48 teams, mirroring the new look of the men’s competition, from 2031. Concacaf covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.

“I can confirm that we have received one bid for 2031, and one valid bid for 2035,” Infantino told delegates. “The 2031 bid is from the USA and potentially some other Concacaf nations. The 2035 bid is from Europe, from the home nations.”

It means that, assuming the UK’s bid is ratified at next year’s Fifa congress, a first football World Cup since 1966 will take place on British shores. There had been uncertainty over the status of a potential rival bid from Spain, Portugal and Morocco but, three days after the deadline for expressions of interest passed, Infantino clarified that no contest would materialise. It was confirmed last year that the 2027 tournament will be played in Brazil.

The England head coach, Sarina Wiegman, said: “Of course it’s really good news and it will be great if the tournament is held here. We know from the experience of the Euros how big the game is already here and what that momentum did in this country and also worldwide. It is the biggest female event we have in the world. It is so exciting.”

The Lionesses captain, Leah Williamson, speaking together with Wiegman at the pre-match press conference before England play Belgium on Friday, said: “Having experienced the home tournament and how lucky we are it’s exciting as players to know that’s on the horizon. I think the commitment from the FA about how we push the game on says a lot about how much we care about women’s football here. I think 2022 was a great demonstration of that intent.”

The UK bid, which was announced in March and has government backing, must be submitted formally by the end of November. England successfully held the Women’s European Championship in 2022, its team winning the tournament. It was unsuccessful in bids to host the 2006 and 2018 men’s World Cups, losing out to Germany and Russia respectively.

Infantino said during a speech laden with announcements that the planned expansion to 48 teams would be discussed by the Fifa council. He also expressed an intention to switch the number of competitors in the men’s and women’s Olympic tournaments. Twelve sides play in the women’s version and 16 in the men’s; Fifa wants to swap those numbers and give lesser prominence to the men’s competition, which is essentially an under-23 event.

In a nod to his local audience, Infantino used the example of Yugoslavia’s disqualification from the 1992 European Championship when expressing a wish for Russia to make a competitive return soon. Yugoslavia were ejected after war led to the country’s disintegration; Russia have been banned from Fifa and Uefa events since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago but there is understood to be an appetite in football’s corridors of power to expedite their comeback if a lasting ceasefire is agreed.

“We have always to use sport, and football in particular, to bring people together,” he said. “In our world, which is divided, we need to use every opportunity to make sure people speak to each other.

“As talks are going on for peace in Ukraine I hope we can soon move to the next stage and bring back, as well, Russia to the football landscape because this would mean everything is solved. That’s what we have to cheer for, to pray for.”