Malta Independent

U.S. and Mexico drop bid to host 2027 Women’s World Cup, Brazil and joint German‑Dutch‑Belgian bids remain

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The U.S. Soccer Federation and its Mexican counterpar­t dropped their joint bid to host the 2027 Women's World Cup on Monday and said they in‐ stead will focus on trying to host the 2031 tournament.

The decision left a proposal from Brazil and a joint Ger‐ many‐ Netherland­s‐ Belgium plan competing to be picked for 2027 by the FIFA Congress that meets May 17 in Bangkok.

The USSF said the 2031 bid will call for FIFA to invest equally in the men's and women's World Cups.

FIFA said last year it planned to spend $896 million in prize money for the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The governing body devoted $110 million in prize money for last year's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

"Hosting a World Cup tourna‐ ment is a huge undertakin­g — and having additional time to prepare allows us to maximize its impact across the globe," USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement. "I'm proud of our commitment to provide equitable experience­s for the players, fans and all our stakeholde­rs. Shifting our bid will enable us to host a record‐ breaking Women's World Cup in 2031 that will help to grow and raise the level of the women's game both here at home as well as across the globe."

In detailing the bid in Decem‐ ber, the USSF proposed U.S. sites from among the same 11 to be used in the 2026 men's World Cup. Mexico listed

Guadalajar­a, Mexico City and Monterrey — its three sites for the men's World Cup — and in addition for 2027 listed as pos‐ sibilities Leon and Querétaro.

"We feel that moving our bid back to 2031 will allow us to promote and build up to the most successful Women's World Cup ever," MFF Presi‐ dent Ivar Sisnieg said in a state‐ ment. "The strength and universali­ty of our profession­al women's leagues, coupled with our experience from organizing the 2026 World Cup, means that we will be able to provide the best infrastruc­ture as well as an enthusiast­ic fan base that will make all the participat­ing teams feel at home and to put together a World Cup that will con‐ tribute to the continued growth of women's football."

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