U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone is confident that a joint USA-Mexico bid will earn the right to host the 2031 women’s World Cup.
The two countries initially bid for the 2027 tournament, but eventually dropped their pursuit as they chose to focus entirely on co-hosting the men’s World Cup in 2026 alongside Canada.
With an additional four years to plan for the 2031 tournament, Parlow Cone said her federation is now waiting for FIFA to open up the bidding process.
“As soon as they do, we’ll put our bid in,” Parlow Cone said at the United Soccer Coaches Convention. “And we’re going to win it.”
With just a year and a half until the first 48-team men’s World Cup, Parlow Cone said that her federation’s resources would have been spread too thin were they to also bid on the women’s tournament in 2027.
“It was hard for us to shift from 2027 to 2031, but we all felt it was the best thing for the sport,” Parlow Cone said. “I wanted that build-up so we can put the same focus and energy into the women’s World Cup that we are into the men’s World Cup.”
Brazil was selected to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which could be the last tournament to feature 32 teams.
FIFA is reportedly considering an expansion of the women’s World Cup to 48 team, matching the men’s competition. U.S. Soccer CEO J.T. Batson endorsed that idea last month.
Were that change to happen, the United States and Mexico would be co-hosts of the first 48-team World Cup on both the men’s and women’s side.
The United States has hosted the women’s World Cup twice: in 1999 and then in 2003, when the tournament was moved from China at the last minute due to concerns over SARS.
