CHICAGO (December 8, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Soccer Federation and the Mexico Football Federation have submitted a joint bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup – a bid that will capitalize on a moment of extraordinary growth in women’s sports to deliver a tournament of unprecedented success. Together, the United States and Mexico look to bring the worldwide game to NEW HEIGHTS.
The collective vision is to deliver a tournament with the world’s greatest players playing on world-class pitches in sold-out stadiums. The necessary infrastructure is already in place – including training facilities, match venues, base camps and travel accommodations – to deliver an excellent on-field product and top-level performance throughout the entirety of the tournament. All players and fans will experience world-class facilities and amenities, further elevating the standard for women’s sports.
What is laid out in the NEW HEIGHTS bid represents the art of the possible. The bid proposes an integrated partnership model that brings host cities, stadiums, partners and FIFA together, allowing the ecosystem to collectively tap into greater economic benefits and drive the women’s game forward. The cities and infrastructure included in the bid represent just a fraction of those across both countries that have the experience and capabilities necessary to host. The facilities detailed in the bid materials act as examples, or an initial proposal, knowing that there are tens of other cities across the two nations equipped and ready to host if called upon.
“This is a pivotal time for Women’s soccer,” said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “Around the world, Federations are beginning to invest more and more in the women’s game and records are being rewritten for revenue, viewership, and participation. The U.S. 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. As a result, we believe the time is right to host a FIFA Women’s World Cup that features a truly world-class experience for players and fans, alike. This will not only unlock the economic potential of women’s soccer, it will send a message to young players around the world that there is no limit to what they can achieve.”
Ivar Sisniega, President of Mexico Football said: “We are delighted to partner with U.S. Soccer to present the bid for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. All of the teams that take part in this tournament will experience the warmth and support of our fans, as evident by the success of our women’s professional leagues. This is a great opportunity to grow women’s football and provide the players equal conditions so that they can shine and show the world what great players they are.”
The NEW HEIGHTS bid plans to leverage key efficiencies from the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup including sporting and transportation infrastructure, as well as practiced safety protocols. This means a U.S. and Mexico hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup will be in a unique position to sell out high-capacity stadiums for every match, with most of the venues over 65,000 seats, and to host fan festivals for millions more. The size of this tournament will elevate the game on a global stage and women’s soccer to NEW HEIGHTS.
JT Batson, U.S. Soccer CEO & Secretary General said of the news: “This is a once-in-a-generation moment for soccer in our countries. U.S. Soccer and Mexico Football are excited to partner to host two World Cups in as many years – and to do it with equity at the forefront of the bid – representing our commitment to growing the game for everyone. Together with Mexico, U.S. Soccer put forward a bid that will expand access to soccer in communities across the country and lay the foundation for a legacy that will grow the game. We are ready, we’re excited, and we’re going to show the world all we can accomplish.”
“This is a unique opportunity for our women’s game as we launched the professional league a few years ago. This event will help us develop the game not only in North America, but globally. We are so glad to be partnering with U.S. Soccer to deliver the best FIFA Women’s World Cup of all time” said Iñigo Riestra, Secretary General and Chief Legal Officer for Mexico Football.
The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the 10th edition of the tournament. The United States has previously played host to the tournament in 1999, and then stepped in to support a 2003 tournament due to a SARS outbreak in the host country of China. The 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl still boasts the largest officially recorded international match attendance at 90,185. The United States Women’s National Team has won the tournament four times - 1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019.
To determine the 2027 hosts, FIFA will complete on-site inspection visits in February 2024, with the 74th FIFA Congress due to appoint the hosts of the tournament in May 2024.