U.S. and Mexico Withdraw 2027 Women's World Cup Bid, Focus on 2031

The United States and Mexico have withdrawn their joint bid to host the 2027 Women's World Cup, shifting their focus to securing the 2031 tournament instead. The decision comes less than three weeks before FIFA is set to choose the hosts for the 2027 event on May 17 in Bangkok.

With the U.S.-Mexico bid withdrawal, two rival bids remain in contention for the 2027 Women's World Cup - a joint bid from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, and a solo bid from Brazil. Brazil is now considered the heavy favorite to host the 2027 tournament, which would make it the first South American country to stage the women's football flagship event.

The U.S. Soccer Federation and Mexican Football Federation cited the need for additional time to prepare and maximize the impact of hosting a Women's World Cup as the reason for their decision. "The revised bid will allow the U.S. to build on the success of the 2026 men's World Cup and better prepare to host a record-breaking Women's World Cup in 2031," said U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone.

The U.S. had been bidding to host the women's tournament for the third time, after successfully hosting in 1999 and 2003. Mexico has never hosted the Women's World Cup before. The two countries, along with Canada, are already set to co-host the 2026 men's World Cup, which will be the largest in history with 48 teams.

Why this matters: The withdrawal of the U.S.-Mexico bid significantly changes the landscape for the 2027 Women's World Cup hosting rights. It also underscores the growing importance and commercial potential of the women's tournament, with bidding nations seeking to ensure they can deliver the best possible event and legacy for the women's game.

The U.S. and Mexico football federations believe that shifting their bid to 2031 will allow them to leverage their experience from organizing the 2026 men's World Cup and the strength of their professional women's leagues to promote and build up to the "most successful Women's World Cup ever." FIFA is expected to decide the hosts for the 2031 Women's World Cup next year, with the U.S. and Mexico joint bid likely to face competition from other interested nations such as England.

Key Takeaways

• US and Mexico withdraw 2027 Women's World Cup joint bid, focus on 2031 instead.
• Brazil and a Germany-Belgium-Netherlands joint bid remain in contention for 2027 event.
• US and Mexico cite need for more preparation time to maximize impact of hosting.
• 2027 Women's World Cup will be the first in South America if Brazil's bid succeeds.
• US and Mexico joint bid for 2031 likely to face competition from other nations like England.