Home Nations to make joint bid to host 2035 Women's World Cup

While England hosted a men's World Cup in 1966, it has never hosted the women's tournament

The Football Associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have expressed their intention to submit a joint bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup.

The announcement follows a decision by world governing body Fifa which recommended the tournament is hosted in Europe or Africa in that year.

Bids for the 2031 and 2035 finals will have to be submitted in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The United States are the favourites to host the 2031 tournament after pulling out of the vote for 2027, which was won by Brazil.

Netflix has already secured the rights in the US to show live coverage in both of those years.

In the UK, the Women's World Cup is one of the 'crown jewel' sporting events which must be offered to free-to-air broadcasters.

The 2023 World Cup was shown on the BBC and ITV, with a peak audience of 12 million viewers watching Spain's victory over England in the final.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said any bid will have the UK government's "full support".

"Football is and always will be at the core of our country's identity," he added. "That pride was on full display when England hosted the Women's Euro 2022. It not only showed the best of our nation to the world but inspired a generation of girls into the game, all whilst boosting the economy."

A UK bid in 2035 could reportedly face a challenge from South Africa, who also withdrew from the race to host the 2027 event.

Statements from the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FAs on Wednesday expressed their delight at being part of a joint bid.

"We strongly believe that we could organise a fantastic tournament, building on the success of the Women's Euros in 2022 and the subsequent rapid growth of the women's game in England," said FA chief executive Mark Bullingham.

His counterpart at the Scottish FA, Ian Maxwell, added that it would be "part of a 10-year journey to accelerate the women's game at grassroots, domestic and international levels".

The UK has enjoyed success in recent years in hosting European football tournaments, but a World Cup has proven elusive.

The men's Euro 2028 is being played across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, while England and Scotland held Euro 2020 games, with the final at Wembley in July 2021 because of Covid-related delays.

The last major tournament held in the UK was the Women's Euro 2022, when England defeated Germany in front of 87,192 fans in the Wembley final and helped further elevate the profile of the women's game.

While England hosted a men's World Cup in 1966, the UK has never hosted the women's tournament.

The past two bids by England for the men's World Cup both failed.

The 2018 bid attracted only one vote other than its own Fifa executive committee member, while in 2006 England were knocked out in the second round again with only two votes.

The UK's chances of securing the 2035 Women's World Cup are seen as much stronger, with decisions now taken by all 211 member nations.