FIFA Picks Brazil To Host 2027 Women’s World Cup

For the first time, the 2027 edition of the Women’s World Cup will be hosted in South America.

Naija News understands that Brazil was selected as the host country during a FIFA congress.

This decision comes after a successful tournament in Australia and New Zealand last year, with FIFA members choosing Brazil over a European bid in an effort to promote women’s football in new regions.

Delegates at the meeting in Bangkok voted 119 to 78 in favour of sending the 10th Women’s World Cup to Brazil, defeating a joint bid from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.

The Brazilian bid team celebrated the decision, with Brazilian Football Confederation President Ednaldo Rodrigues describing it as a triumph for Latin American football and women’s football in the region. Brazil, known for women’s football star Marta, received a higher score than its European competitor in FIFA’s evaluation report.

FIFA inspectors have highlighted the significant positive impact that hosting the Women’s World Cup in South America would have on women’s football in the region.

Brazil’s proposal involves utilizing 10 stadiums that were previously used in the 2014 Men’s World Cup, with the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro slated to host the opening match and final.

However, improvements are needed, especially at the Amazonia stadium in Manaus, which has remained largely unused for the past ten years.

In contrast to the Brazilian men’s team, who have secured five World Cup titles, the women’s team has never won the tournament and suffered an early exit in 2023.

The previous edition of the tournament broke records, generating $570 million in commercial revenue.

Despite concerns that expanding the number of teams from 24 to 32 would diminish the quality of the competition, the tournament attracted over 1.4 million spectators and witnessed several surprising results.

The tournament saw a decrease in one-sided matches that were common in previous World Cups, indicating an improvement in the overall standard of women’s football.

Seven teams secured their first-ever World Cup victories, while traditional powerhouses like the United States and Germany were eliminated early in the competition.

The aftermath of last year’s final in Sydney, where Spain defeated England 1-0, was marred by controversy. Spanish Football Federation chief Luis Rubiales is facing prosecution for sexual assault after forcibly kissing midfielder Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony.

The 74th FIFA Congress, held in Thailand for the first time, opted for an open vote to move away from past corruption issues. The United States and Mexico withdrew their joint bid, leaving the focus on the 2031 edition.

Ahead of the Brazil tournament, attention will be on the significant financial gap between men’s and women’s football. The prize money for the 2023 Women’s World Cup was a record $110 million, much less than the $440 million offered at the 2022 men’s finals in Qatar.

During the congress, the Palestinian FA (PFA) called for Israel’s suspension from FIFA events due to alleged rule violations and the situation in Palestine. The Israeli FA (IFA) denied the accusations, calling the request “cynical, political, and hostile.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that the organization would seek legal advice and make a decision by July 20 regarding the matter.