USA set to host 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, UK to stage 2035 edition

The United States has been confirmed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino as the host for the 2031 Women’s World Cup, while the United Kingdom has reportedly been billed to stage the 2035 edition.

England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland also submitted a joint expression of interest in March to hold the World Cup across the home nations.

However, FIFA president Infantino confirmed, US as the host for the 2031 tournament while the UK will host the 2035 competition, in a statement delivered on Thursday 3 April.

Although no host names have been confirmed, the submitted bids were unveiled, with four-time champions United States lodging the only bid for the 2031 edition. This brings the tally to three times that the US has hosted the women’s football tournament.

Meanwhile, their English counterparts that make up the United Kingdom – 2023 finalists England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – are the sole “valid” bid for 2035.

England face Nigeria in the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup (Image by: Getty Images)

This includes the nations that make up Team GB, as recognised by the British Olympic Association.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said at a UEFA congress on Thursday, he revealed to reporters, confirming the bidders for the Women’s gala.

“Today I can confirm as part of the bidding process that we received one bid for 2031 and one valid bid for 2035.

“The 2031 bid is the United States of America and potentially some other CONCACAF members and the 2035 bid is from Europe and the home nations.

“So the path is there for the Women’s World Cup in 2031 and 2035 to take place in some great nations and further boost the women’s football movement.”

Brazil has the nod to host the next women’s World Cup in 2027, the last to be contested between 32 teams before the tournament expands to 48 teams four years later.

In case the USA hosts the 2031 World Cup, it will be the first time that the record champions have hosted the women’s football tournament in 28 years.

A final confirmation would see the US being the center of almost all sporting activities between 2026 and 2034.

It would form part of a sporting line-up that sees the US host the men’s World Cup in 2026, the Olympic Games and in 2028, and the Olympic Winter Games in 2034.

Even more interesting is the fact that the home nations making up Great Britain and Northern Ireland have never hosted a women’s World Cup. England has only hosted the women’s European Championship back in 2022.

It would be the first World Cup football played on English soil since the 1966 men’s edition, while the men’s Euros will be hosted in the UK and Ireland in 2028.