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 in Belgrade. “The 2031 bid is from the USA and potentially some other Concacaf nations. The 2035 bid is from Europe, from the home nations.”
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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.
The bid, which was announced in March, must be submitted formally by the end of November.
