The DFB is applying with the Netherlands and Belgium for the Women’s World Cup in 2027. FIFA has now announced that the decision will be made in Bangkok – there are three competitors.
The world association FIFA confirmed on Friday (June 23, 2023) that the FIFA Congress will take place on May 17 in Thailand’s capital Bangkok. The meeting of the 211 member associations of FIFA will vote on where the 2027 World Cup will take place.
There are four applications:
Germany, Netherlands, Belgium
Brazil
South Africa
USA, Mexico
Three applications will be voted on
Before the Congress, the FIFA Council will select three of the four bids that will be put to the vote of the Congress. All countries involved in the bids will not be entitled to vote among the 211 associations.
But even those associations that belong to the countries are not allowed to vote – in the case of the USA, for example, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. Suspended associations are also not entitled to vote.
Votes FIFA Congress Confederation Votes Europe 55 Africa 54 Asia 46 North/Central America 35 Oceania 11 South America 10
total
211
Tough competition for the European application
The application from Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium is by no means the sole favorite in the race. Especially since Europe only had France in 2019 and Germany already hosted a women’s World Cup in 2011.
Brazil: There has never been a women’s World Cup in South America, with the men’s World Cup in 2014 at least part of the infrastructure would be in place.
South Africa: Similar arguments apply here, there has never been a women’s World Cup in Africa, in 2010 the men’s tournament took place in South Africa.
USA and Mexico: Here, at least, similar restrictions remained as in Europe: It was not until 2015 that North America hosted the women’s World Cup with Canada.
The European bid will at least be able to rely on a large part of the votes from UEFA. The “One Love” posse at the 2022 men’s World Cup caused displeasure in many countries, and the relationship with FIFA is tense. As a member of the FIFA Council, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf will have to do a lot of sport-political work in talks in order to win a majority for the application.
Women’s World Cup Year Teams Country Winners 1991 12 China USA 1995 12 Sweden Norway 1999 16 USA USA 2003 16 USA Germany 2007 16 China Germany 2011 16 Germany Japan 2015 24 Canada USA 2019 24 France USA 2023 32 Austr./Neuseel. ? 2027 32 ? ?
The four possible German venues have already been determined
The joint application has been in preparation since 2020, the slogan should be “BNG” for “Breaking new ground”. The three letters also stand for the English names of the nations “Belgium”, “Netherlands” and “Germany”.
The DFB has already decided on the possible match cities of Dortmund, Duisburg, Düsseldorf and Cologne. “We will promote it, even outside of Europe. We are very determined to tackle the issue well – internationally and worldwide,” announced DFB boss Neuendorf.
Infantino announces same pay as men for 2027
According to President Gianni Infantino, FIFA wants to use the 2027 requirement to enforce the same payment as in men’s finals. “We’re confident we can achieve that,” Infantino said at the 2023 FIFA Congress in Kigali. At the men’s World Cup in Qatar, FIFA paid out 440 million euros to the associations.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino
FIFA is also trying to achieve more commercially in women’s football. This was recently shown in the dispute over the broadcasting rights for the 2023 World Cup.