UK and Home Nations Launch Historic Bid for 2035 Women’s World Cup
The United Kingdom has unveiled an ambitious plan to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, marking what would be the first World Cup tournament on British soil since England hosted the men’s competition in 1966. The unopposed joint bid, announced Friday, proposes 22 venues across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The tournament would make history as the largest single-sport event ever held in the UK, offering 4.5 million tickets across 15 cities. With a proposed network of stadiums reaching 63 million people within a two-hour travel radius, organizers are positioning it as the most accessible World Cup in history.
The ambitious stadium plan includes 16 venues in England, three in Wales, two in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland. Manchester United’s proposed new 100,000-capacity stadium features prominently in the plans, alongside their current Old Trafford ground. The final selection is expected to be reduced to approximately 16 venues – still double the number used during the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar.
FIFA is set to formally ratify the UK bid at its 2024 congress in Vancouver, where it will also consider a joint bid from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica to host the 2031 tournament. The 2035 event will feature an expanded format of 48 teams, up from the current 32-team structure.
The chief executives of the UK’s football associations emphasized the bid’s significance for developing women’s football, building on recent successes including England’s back-to-back European Championship victories and their 2023 World Cup final appearance.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer endorsed the bid, highlighting how the England Lionesses’ achievements have inspired young girls nationwide. He emphasized the potential economic benefits for host cities and local businesses across the UK.
The tournament would follow Brazil’s hosting of the 2027 Women’s World Cup, continuing the global expansion of women’s football. If successful, the 2035 event would represent a milestone in British football history, coming nearly 70 years after the country’s last World Cup hosting duties.
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