South Africa have withdrawn their bid to host the Women’s World Cup in 2027, the country’s football association (SAFA) said on Friday.
South Africa were among four bids confirmed by FIFA but the country will instead focus on submitting a bid for the 2031 tournament.
“We felt that it was better to present a well-prepared bid for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup and ensure we put our best foot forward, rather than producing a rushed presentation,” SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao said on the FA’s official website.
The remaining candidates are a joint bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, one from Brazil and another joint bid by Mexico and the United States.
The FIFA Congress will decide the hosts on May 17, 2024.
Australia and New Zealand held the 2023 tournament, which Spain won. The U.S., Mexico and Canada will co-host the men’s World Cup in 2026.
What South Africa said
The SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao said: “We felt that it was better to present a well-prepared bid for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup and ensure we put our best foot forward, rather than producing a rushed presentation.”
The bigger picture
There has been controversy surrounding the fact that the Women’s World Cup has yet to be allocated. The tournament is in just four years. By comparison, the hosts of the 2026, 2030 and 2034 men’s tournaments have already been announced: Canada, Mexico and the United States for ’26, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay for ’30, and Saudi Arabia for ’34.
What next?
The bidding process will continue for the 2027 World Cup. FIFA will confirm the hosts in May 2024, a mere three years before the tournament.
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