USA, Mexico withdraw bid for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027
2024.05.03
Only a few weeks before FIFA is scheduled to vote to decide who will win the event at a conference in Bangkok, the United States of America (USA) and Mexico withdrew their joint candidacy for the Women’s World Cup 2027 on Monday.
The football federations of Mexico and the United States jointly released a statement announcing that they will now concentrate on putting together a strong candidacy for the 2031 competition.
The unexpected choice was made just before FIFA officials were ready to vote on the 2027 hosts at the world governing body’s Congress in Bangkok on May 17.
Two competing bids are left to compete for the tournament: a combined offer from Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and a solo bid from Brazil following the departure of the USA and Mexico.
The USA-Mexico candidacy was abandoned when FIFA said earlier on Monday that, when the FIFA Congress meets in Thailand next month, the 2027 tournament hosts will be chosen by an open vote for the first time.
The USA, which had successfully hosted the tournament on its own in 1999 and 2003, has put in a proposal to host the women’s football premier event for a third time.
In an increasingly packed schedule for the area, another major athletic event would have taken held in North America if the USA-Mexico proposal for 2027 had been accepted.
While Los Angeles is getting ready to host the 2028 Olympics, the United States, Mexico, and Canada are already planning to host the men’s 2026 World Cup.
In addition, the United States is hosting the 16-team Copa America this year and is scheduled to host the enlarged FIFA Club World Cup the following year.
According to USA Soccer, delaying the event until 2031 will allow organizers more time to prepare and learn from the region’s successful hosting of the men’s World Cup in 2026.
The Women’s World Cup was place in Australia and New Zealand last year.
The competition was last staged in North America in 2015, when Canada served as the host nation.
Having won the World Cup four times, the USA are the most successful country in women’s basketball.
@charith
