The United States has emerged as the only bidder for the 2031 Women’s World Cup, while the United Kingdom is expected to host the tournament in 2035, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on Thursday.
Speaking at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade, Infantino stated, “Today I can confirm that we have received one bid for 2031 and one valid bid for 2035,” said Infantino on stage at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade. 2031 is from the USA and potentially some other CONCACAF members together, and ’35 is from Europe, from the home nations.”
Infantino also revealed that FIFA intends to expand the Women’s World Cup from 32 teams to 48, starting with the 2031 edition.
The confirmation follows an announcement last month from the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, who had expressed interest in jointly hosting the 2035 tournament. FIFA had previously restricted bids for that edition to European and African nations, with the official selection expected to be finalised during the second quarter of 2026.
The United States formally announced its intention to bid for the 2031 tournament in early March. While South Africa and Morocco had also shown interest, Infantino’s comments indicate that African bids are no longer in contention.
The next Women’s World Cup is set to take place in Brazil in 2027.
The United States, which is set to co-host the 2026 Men’s World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, will also stage the inaugural edition of FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup in June and July this year. The upcoming men’s World Cup will feature 48 teams for the first time, increasing from 32.
Similarly, the Women’s World Cup expanded from 24 to 32 teams for the 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand. FIFA’s decision to further increase participation underscores its commitment to the growth of women’s football.
Meanwhile, the UK and Ireland will co-host the men’s UEFA European Championship in 2028. England previously hosted the 2022 Women’s Euros.
FIFA has already assigned hosting rights for the 2030 Men’s World Cup to a joint bid from Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, with additional matches set to be played in South America. The 2034 tournament will then be hosted by Saudi Arabia.
