Wembley among 19 stadiums selected as UK bid for 2035 Women’s World Cup takes major step forward

The United Kingdom's joint bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup has moved closer to approval after FIFA confirmed it has met the tournament's minimum hosting requirements.

The proposal includes 19 stadiums across 15 host cities, with Wembley Stadium selected to stage the final.

2031 and 2035 Women's World Cup bids put up for FIFA vote

FIFA's evaluation reports have confirmed that the joint bids for the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cups have satisfied the minimum requirements to progress to a vote at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress on November 23rd.

The 2035 proposal brings together England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland under the theme ‘All Together', building on the nations' experience of hosting major international tournaments, per ESPN.

A total of 19 stadiums across 15 cities have been included, with 14 venues in England, two in Wales, two in Ireland and one in Scotland. Wembley Stadium in London has been selected to host the final.

FIFA highlighted the four associations' experience, including UEFA Women's Euro 2022 and preparations for Euro 2028, as part of the bid's foundations.

The 2031 tournament, meanwhile, has received a joint proposal from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica. It will be the first edition to feature 48 teams, expanding from the current 32-team format.

That bid features 20 proposed stadiums, including four potential final venues – Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

FIFA expects the 2031 competition to attract approximately 4.5 million spectators, while noting that some venues will require artificial playing surfaces to be replaced with natural grass.

Both proposals will now be put to FIFA members for a decision later this month.

FGG says: Women's World Cup bid takes an important step forward

Having 19 stadiums included across the four nations gives the 2035 proposal an impressive geographical spread, while Wembley provides an obvious setting for the final.

The UK has already demonstrated its ability to deliver major women's football tournaments, and the successful staging of Euro 2022 provides a strong foundation.

There is still a FIFA vote to come, but reaching this stage represents significant progress towards bringing the Women's World Cup back to the UK.