skip to main content

Joint UK bid to host 2035 Women's World Cup launched

Windsor Park is part of the bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup
Windsor Park is part of the bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have submitted a joint bid to host the Women's World Cup in 2035 in what the bid group described as the largest single-sport event ever staged in the UK and the first World Cup there since 1966.

The bid outlines plans for 22 stadiums across 16 host cities, including 16 venues in England, three in Wales, two in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland - Windsor Park in Belfast.

Northern Ireland were supposed to be part of the men's Euro 2028 bid with a redeveloped Casement Park the stadium part of the bid initially. However years of delays to funding and planning objections meant that Casement Park would not be ready in time.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in April that the UK was the "one valid bid" for the finals, with the four nations announcing a month earlier that they would submit a joint bid.

The tournament would involve 104 matches contested by 48 teams over 39 days, with 48 team base camp training sites, 82 venue-specific training sites and 32 fan festival sites.

A joint statement from the football associations involved in the bid read: "Hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup would be a huge privilege for our four home nations. If we are successful, the 2035 tournament will be the biggest single-sport event held on UK soil with 4.5 million tickets available for fans.

"We are proud of the growth that we've driven in recent years across the women’s and girls’ game, but there is still so much more growth to come, and this event will play a key role in helping us deliver that.

"Working together with FIFA, a Women’s World Cup in the UK has the power to turbo charge the women’s and girls’ game both in the UK and globally. Our bid also demonstrates our commitment to leaving a lasting legacy, in the run up to 2035, and the years afterwards."

Read Next