3 min read

FIFA Advances Joint Bids for 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups to November Congress Vote

image

FIFA has officially published its comprehensive bid evaluation reports for the 2031 and 2035 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, confirming that both unopposed multi-nation submissions meet the governing body’s minimum technical and commercial hosting requirements.

Following physical inspection visits and rigorous technical scoring, both proposals advance to the Extraordinary FIFA Congress, convening via videoconference on 23 November 2026, where FIFA Member Associations will formally vote to award hosting rights for both tournaments.

The 2031 tournament represents a historic commercial expansion for women’s international football, scaling from 32 to 48 competing nations and increasing match inventory from 64 to 104 fixtures.

The North and Central American joint submission, led by the U.S. Soccer Federation alongside the Mexican Football Association, Costa Rican Football Association, and Jamaica Football Federation, achieved an evaluation score of 4.4 out of 5.0.

Meanwhile, the European joint submission from the United Kingdom’s four home nations, The Football Association, Irish Football Association, Scottish Football Association, and Football Association of Wales, earned a technical score of 4.3 out of 5.0 for the 2035 edition.

Commercial Scale, Infrastructure, and Evaluation Metrics

FIFA’s enhanced assessment model evaluates prospective hosts across event vision, stadium infrastructure, broadcast operations, commercial projections, sustainability, and human rights frameworks:

  • 2031 North & Central American Bid (4.4/5.0 Score): Projects 4.5 million total tournament attendees and approximately $4 billion in gross commercial revenue. The submission proposes 20 core stadiums—including 14 in the United States, with potential expansion up to 45 venues across 30 host cities—and incorporates a proposed International Broadcast Centre in Dallas, Texas.
  • 2035 UK Home Nations Bid (4.3/5.0 Score): Operated under the theme “All Together,” the bid outlines 19 stadiums across 15 host cities—comprising 14 venues in England, two in Northern Ireland, two in Wales, and one in Scotland—with London’s Wembley Stadium slated to host the tournament final.
  • Governance & Risk Assessment: While the 2031 submission registered low risk across 13 of 18 evaluated categories, FIFA’s report flagged medium risk areas surrounding municipal host city agreements, human rights frameworks, and environmental protections.

Tournament Pathway & Strategic Calendar

With both bids running unopposed for their respective hosting cycles, ratification at the 23 November 2026 Extraordinary FIFA Congress will lock in a ten-year commercial and infrastructure runway for global women’s football.

The award establishes sequential commercial anchors across North America and Europe following the upcoming 32-team 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, whose official tournament draw is scheduled for 11 December 2026 in Rio de Janeiro.

FIFA has published the bid evaluation reports in relation to the 2031 and 2035 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™. You can view the full report here:

Don’t miss out on the latest in sports business – Subscribe today to the free Ministry of Sport newsletter and stay ahead of the game. For even more exclusive insights, event tickets, professional development and networking events, become a MoS Member today!.

It's free to join the team!

Join the most engaged community in the Sports Business World.

Get all the latest news, insights, data, education and event updates.