The 2035 edition of soccer’s flagship FIFA Women’s World Cup will be staged across the UK after submitting the only bid to host the quadrennial tournament by today’s deadline.
The ‘Home Nations’ of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland submitted a joint bid ahead of today’s deadline and will face no competition from other parties. In April, after the deadline for initial expressions of interest, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the joint bid was the sole valid bid for the 2035 edition.
Confirmation of the UK’s hosting duties will be announced at the 76th FIFA Congress being held in Vancouver, Canada, on April 30.
The bid builds on England’s successful staging of the women’s UEFA European Championships in 2022, which broke several records in women’s soccer, and will be the first time any of the nations have hosted a World Cup since 1966.
If successful, it will be the first Women’s World Cup staged across four countries.
A joint statement from the chief executives of The FA, Irish FA, Scottish FA, and FA of Wales said: "Hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup would be a huge privilege for our four home nations. 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.
"We are proud of the growth that we've driven in recent years across the women's and girls' game, but there is still so much more growth to come, and this event will play a key role in helping us deliver that. Working together with FIFA, a Women's World Cup in the UK has the power to turbocharge the women's and girls' game both in the UK and globally. Our bid also demonstrates our commitment to leaving a lasting legacy in the run-up to 2035 and the years afterwards.
"Together, we want to welcome the world to the UK to celebrate and enjoy an unforgettable tournament."
The UK’s bid named 22 stadiums across 16 host cities that could be used to stage matches for the event, including 16 venues in England, three in Wales, two in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland.
Included in England’s venue listing is Manchester United’s proposed 100,000-seater stadium, despite the project having no official start date yet, as well as the proposed Birmingham City Powerhouse Stadium.
A renovated Wrexham Stadium (Wales) and potential new home ground for Chelsea have also been named. Only 16 venues will be selected by FIFA to stage games if the bid is successful.
The tournament is set to feature 48 teams contesting 104 matches over 39 days.
The men’s 2028 UEFA European Championships is set to be staged in the UK, with the four nations all staging matches. It will be England’s third time hosting the tournament after the Euros in 1996 and 2020.
The next Women’s World Cup in 2027 will be staged in Brazil.
