Europe and Americas fight to host 2027 Women's World Cup

FIFA's deadline to submit bids to host the 2027 Women's World Cup expired on Friday. 

The United States and Mexico submitted a joint bid, as did Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Brazil applied to host the competition in its own right. 

South Africa had originally been expected to bid to host the tournament, too, but it withdrew its proposal in October.

What does the US and Mexico bid promise?

The US hosted the 1999 and 2003 women's World Cups, and is set to host its second men's World Cup — alongside Mexico and Canada — in 2026. 

Although no proposed stadiums were announced in the US Soccer Federation's (USSF) and Mexico's proposal they said they would seek to take advantage of the efficiencies from the 2026 World Cup.

Additionally the bid put forward to FIFA claimed that the USSF was in a position to bring the women's game to the largest audience in women's football history.

The USSF said they would be able to sell out large stadiums, many of which in the US have a capacity of more than 65,000.

The president U.S. Soccer federation, Cindy Parlow Cone, described a women's World Cup following a year after the country hosting the men's World Cup as a positive.

"This is a pivotal time for women's soccer," she said. "The US and Mexico are in a unique position to host a World Cup that will leverage the same venues, infrastructure, and protocols used for the Men's World Cup just a year prior."

Germany hope to bring Women's World Cup back

Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium also confirmed their joint bid on deadline day.

The Netherlands' KNVB federation said in a statement on Friday, accompanying the European nations' formal bid: "Extensive and detailed consultations between the three federations… dates back to 2020."

"This has led to alignment around the belief that our three countries are well placed to stage a FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 of unparalleled quality and impact," the KNVB said.

Brazil seeks Latin America's first international women's tournament

Brazil will be aiming to make history by becoming the first Latin American country to host a major women's international tournament.

Submitting their bid book on Thursday to FIFA, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) also confirmed they had obtained of all the required government guarantees to be able to host the tournament.

Confidently supporting his countries bid, CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues said that the governing body's investment in women's football in recent years and in the future put them in pole position.

"Brazil is the frank favorite to host the next Women's World Cup and we are quite confident," he said. "The development of women's football is one of our great goals and I don't shy away from saying that the awakening of women's football to the CBF happened in this management."

Fifa will inspect proposed sites in February 2024 and the Fifa Congress is to vote on a host in May 2024.

km/msh (AP, dpa)