USA sole bidder for 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, UK to host in 2035

FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed on Thursday, April 3, that the United States is the sole bidder for the 2031 Women’s World Cup, while the United Kingdom is set to host the tournament in 2035.

Speaking at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade, Infantino announced, “Today I can confirm that we have received one bid for 2031 and one valid bid for 2035.” 

He added, “The bid for 2031 comes from the USA, potentially alongside other CONCACAF members, while 2035 is from Europe, specifically the home nations.”

The United Kingdom is set to host the 2035 Women's World Cup, as the only "valid" bidder for the tournament, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

In March, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland submitted a joint expression of interest to host the World Cup across the four nations.

As per FIFA’s rotation rules, the tournament must be held in either Europe or Africa. Spain's federation president, Rafael Louzan, had mentioned last week that they were “working on” a joint bid with Portugal and Morocco.

However, with the deadline for expressions of interest having passed on Monday, Infantino confirmed that the UK’s bid is the only one received for 2035, while the United States is set to host the 2031 edition.

Infantino also shared that FIFA plans to expand the Women’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams starting with the 2031 edition.

This confirmation follows last month’s announcement from the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, who expressed interest in co-hosting the 2035 tournament. 

Previously, FIFA had limited bids for the 2035 World Cup to European and African nations, with the official host selection set to be made in 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.