The United Kingdom has formally submitted its bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, outlining an unprecedented vision centred around 22 stadiums across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If successful, the tournament would become the largest standalone sporting event ever staged in Britain, eclipsing the 2015 Rugby World Cup and Euro 1996.
A bid designed to transform British sport and cities
The proposal features a sweeping list of host grounds, from established icons such as Wembley, the Emirates and the Principality Stadium to state-of-the-art projects like Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium and Birmingham City’s proposed £2.5 billion Powerhouse Stadium. Most eye-catching, however, is the inclusion of United’s future Old Trafford, a 100,000-seat arena still in its conceptual phase. While the current Old Trafford is also listed as a backup option, the bold attempt to anchor the Women’s World Cup final at a yet-to-be-built venue captures the scale of Britain’s ambition.
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United’s new Old Trafford and Birmingham’s Powerhouse Stadium have both been included despite neither project receiving a final green light for construction. Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiled his redevelopment vision earlier this year, but concrete progress has been slow. Regardless, senior United figures are said to be confident the venue will surpass Wembley in capacity and matchday experience by 2035. Birmingham City, meanwhile, are banking on a massive regeneration effort backed by minority owner Tom Brady. If completed on schedule, the Powerhouse Stadium would open at the start of the 2030-31 season. Some existing grounds did not meet FIFA standards. Stamford Bridge and Wrexham’s historic Stok Cae Ras fell short, forcing the FA to enter a placeholder venue for Chelsea, named "Chelsea Stadium", as part of the submission. Todd Boehly is already exploring relocation options that would allow the London club to pursue a significantly larger home.
A 104-match, 48-team Tournament
The Women’s World Cup will expand to 48 teams from 2031, matching the men’s competition, a change that demands at least 15 FIFA-compliant stadiums. The UK bid goes further, offering 22 potential venues to ease scheduling pressure and accommodate 104 matches over 39 days. With 16 stadiums in England, three in Wales, two in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland, the plan reflects a deliberate effort to distribute matches across all four nations.
A joint statement from the heads of the Irish, English, Welsh and Scottish FAs described the bid as a transformational opportunity: "A Women's World Cup in the UK has the power to turbo charge the women's and girls' game both in the UK and globally. Our bid also demonstrates our commitment to leaving a lasting legacy, in the run up to 2035, and the years afterwards."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer threw his weight behind the bid, praising the Lionesses’ impact on young players and highlighting government investment in school sport and grassroots facilities.
"Our bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup shows the UK’s passion for football," the Labour leader said.
"The Lionesses’ success has inspired girls across our country, and we’ll build on that momentum by welcoming millions of football fans from around the world to a tournament that will benefit communities and businesses in host cities up and down the UK. With significant investment in school sport and grassroots facilities through our Plan for Change, we’re creating opportunities for girls to play for their national team."
England manager Sarina Wiegman also welcomed the announcement and added: "It's so much more than football, I think. It will boost the women's game but it will boost women in society and, as we have seen, it will bring the country together."
Full list of Women's World Cup 2035 stadiumsWindsor Park (Belfast)
Powerhouse Stadium (Birmingham)
Villa Park (Birmingham)
American Express Stadium (Brighton)
Ashton Gate (Bristol)
Cardiff City Stadium (Cardiff)
Principality Stadium (Cardiff)
Easter Road (Edinburgh)
Hampden Park (Glasgow)
Elland Road (Leeds)
Hill Dickinson Stadium (Liverpool)
Chelsea Stadium (London)
Emirates Stadium (London)
Selhurst Park (London)
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London)
Wembley Stadium (London)
Etihad Stadium (Manchester)
St James' Park (Newcastle)
City Ground (Nottingham)
Stadium of Light (Sunderland)
Old Trafford (Manchester)
Stok Cae Ras (Wrexham)