UK Launches Ambitious Bid for 2035 Women's World Cup
The United Kingdom has officially unveiled a landmark bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women's World Cup, with a proposed new £4.2 billion stadium for Manchester United positioned as the crown jewel of the project. This ambitious joint bid from England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland is being hailed as a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' to transform women's football across the nation.
A Tournament of Record-Breaking Scale
The planned tournament would be the largest single-sport event ever staged in the UK. The proposal outlines a massive 48-team competition projected to have 4.5 million tickets available for fans, while captivating a global television audience of an estimated 3.5 billion people. The event is scheduled to run from June 21 to July 29, 2035, utilising 22 stadiums across the four home nations.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham emphasised the bid's significance, stating, "We believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone." He added that the FA's mission continues "until we've got the same number of women and girls playing as men and boys."
Trafford's New £4.2bn Stadium Takes Centre Stage
Despite being in the very early stages of redevelopment, the new-look Old Trafford, referred to as 'Trafford' in the bid documents, is a central component of the UK's proposal. The stadium, with an estimated cost of £4.2 billion, is envisioned as a state-of-the-art, 100,000-seater arena fit for the world's biggest football matches.
Collette Roche, Manchester United's chief operating officer, said, "We are proud to be part of the rich sporting and cultural fabric of Trafford, and the FIFA Women's World Cup 2035 is a brilliant opportunity for us to showcase our home to the rest of the world."
The bid leverages the momentum from the Lionesses' recent successes, including their back-to-back European Championship victories under manager Sarina Wiegman. Prime Minister Keir Starmer threw the government's full support behind the bid, noting that the Lionesses have "inspired girls across our country" and that the tournament would "benefit communities and businesses in host cities up and down the UK."
The proposed list of 22 host stadiums includes:
- Wembley Stadium (London)
- Principality Stadium (Cardiff)
- Hampden Park (Glasgow)
- Windsor Park (Belfast)
- Emirates Stadium (London)
- Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London)
- Etihad Stadium (Manchester)
- The new Sports Quarter Stadium (Birmingham)
- St James' Park (Newcastle)
- Stok Cae Ras (Wrexham)
With full government backing and currently no opposing bids, the UK's proposal could receive formal approval as early as next year, setting the stage for a historic sporting event that aims to leave a lasting legacy for women's football.
