The United States and the United Kingdom appear poised to host upcoming editions of the Women’s World Cup. The tournaments will expand to 48 teams from the current 32. Both nations have expressed their intentions to host the 2031 and 2035 events respectively. This was revealed after the initial deadline for declaring bids passed without any other contenders. Formal bid submissions are expected by the end of April.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino disclosed to European football authorities that the United States has shown interest in hosting the 2031 event. This bid might include collaboration with Mexico and possibly other countries within the CONCACAF region. “We anticipate sharing more on our vision for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup soon,” announced the U.S. Soccer Federation in a statement.
For the 2035 edition, the only confirmed interest comes from the British football associations led by England. Infantino made this announcement during UEFA’s annual conference held in Belgrade, Serbia. English FA CEO Mark Bullingham responded by acknowledging the work ahead to compile a compelling bid package by the end of the year. The prospect of hosting the World Cup on British soil for the first time since 1966 has garnered quick support from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, especially as FIFA has excluded Europe from the 2031 hosting bid, seemingly clearing the way for a U.S. selection.
Spanish soccer officials recently expressed interest in submitting a bid, potentially in partnership with Portugal and Morocco—a continuation of their collaboration for the 2030 Men’s World Cup. However, they missed the crucial Monday deadline set by FIFA, casting doubts on their potential candidacy.
In his address at the UEFA meeting, Infantino essentially confirmed that Spain’s late bid would not be considered. “The trajectory is set for the Women’s World Cup to take place in 2031 and 2035 in remarkable nations,” Infantino remarked, emphasizing the anticipated impact on advancing women’s football globally.
While FIFA is slated to officially designate the Women’s World Cup hosts next year, Brazil is set to host the 2027 edition, maintaining the 32-team format. Should the U.S. secure the 2031 event, it would mark the return of the tournament to American venues for the first time since 2003—the U.S. also played host in 1999. Meanwhile, England celebrated the success of hosting the Women’s European Championship in 2022, triumphing on home soil, and is scheduled to co-host the men’s Euro 2028 alongside Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
Further positive news for women’s soccer comes as FIFA moves to increase participation at the Olympic Games. Infantino outlined a proposition to have more women’s teams compared to men’s in the forthcoming Olympics. Traditionally, the women’s Olympic soccer tournament has less representation compared to the men’s. The 2024 Paris Olympics features 12 women’s teams against 16 men’s teams. However, FIFA now advocates switching these numbers—raising women’s teams to 16 and reducing the men’s to 12. This suggestion aligns with the International Olympic Committee’s objective of achieving gender parity, though accommodating extra teams within the current athlete quota for Los Angeles organizers remains a challenge.
Decisions on this proposition rest with the International Olympic Committee, with further discussions anticipated in their forthcoming executive board meeting.