The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) said on March 5 it will press ahead with a joint bid for the 2031 Women’s World Cup after a FIFA decision boosted the Concacaf region’s chances of staging the tournament.

The USSF said in a brief statement on social media that it planned to “complete the bid process to host the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup” in partnership with the Concacaf regional federation and its members.

“We are excited by the opportunity to welcome teams and fans, inspire the next generation and grow the game regionally and globally,” it said.

The United States and Mexico had initially planned to bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup but withdrew their candidacy in 2024 weeks ahead of a Fifa vote in Bangkok, saying they would instead concentrate on a successful bid for 2031.

The 2027 tournament was eventually awarded to Brazil.

In a statement issued earlier on March 5, FIFA announced that the field of eligible regions for the 2031 hosts had been narrowed down to two – North America, Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf) and Africa (CAF).

A US joint bid would still face competition, however, with both South Africa and Morocco in the running to stage the 2031 tournament.

While FIFA has repeatedly signalled its willingness to take the Women’s World Cup to new territories, a North American bid would represent an attractive commercial option for FIFA with the likelihood of packed stadiums and record attendances.

North America has hosted the tournament on three previous occasions, with the USA solo hosts in 1999 and 2003, and Canada staging the event in 2015.

Hosting in 2031 would complete a busy cycle of major sporting events in North America.

FIFA is already staging its inaugural Club World Cup in the region in 2025, and the United States, Canada and Mexico are hosting the 2026 men’s World Cup.

Los Angeles is also hosting the 2028 Olympics.

Meanwhile, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey will make history by having a Super Bowl-style half-time show.

“This will be a historic moment for the Fifa World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world,” Infantino said.

No further information about specific details or duration of the half-time show were revealed, but Coldplay band members Chris Martin and Phil Harvey will determine the artists who will perform.

The move mirrors the show held during the final of the 2024 Copa America in Miami, when Colombian star Shakira performed at half-time at the Hard Rock Stadium.

-AFP

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The inaugural Women’s Club World Cup will be pushed back to 2028 from its original date of 2026, soccer’s global governing body announced on Wednesday.

Instead, the new six-team FIFA Women’s Champions Cup will debut in 2026 and feature the six continental club champions, FIFA said after Wednesday’s FIFA Council meeting where the new programme was approved.

“Women’s football has reached new heights at national-team level, and now it’s time for global competitions that showcase the best clubs from around the world,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “These FIFA competitions will stimulate growth, inspire athletes, create new rivalries, engage more fans and crown heroes from all over the world.”

The two-year delay to the Women’s Club World Cup, which was first announced after a council meeting in May, is to allow stakeholders more time to prepare and give women players some breathing space in an already condensed schedule.

The Women’s Club World Cup will see six teams take part in the play-in stage. The three winners will advance to the group stage and join 13 other clubs.

The AFC, CAF, Concacaf and CONMEBOL confederations will each have two direct slots, while UEFA will have five berths. The group stage will feature four groups of four, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knockout stage.

The first three editions of the Champions Cup, meanwhile, will be held in 2026, ’27 and ’29.

“These are more than just new tournaments – these are drivers for the future of our sport that will raise standards, provide invaluable opportunities for growth and local development, and generate new revenue – all on a global scale,” said Jill Ellis, FIFA’s Chief Football Officer, and a two-times World Cup winner as a head coach.

The semi-finals and final of the inaugural Champions Cup will be held from January 28 and February 1 at a neutral venue still to be determined.

-Reuters

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Spanish women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso confronted former soccer federation boss Luis Rubiales at his trial on Monday, saying she did not agree to the kiss that triggered a national backlash against sexism in sport.

“I knew I was being kissed by my boss and that should not happen in any social or work environment,” she said of the encounter seen live by millions around the world at the 2023 World Cup awards ceremony in Australia.

“I think it was a moment that tainted one of the happiest days of my life,” added the 34-year-old forward as Rubiales sat nearby at Madrid’s High Court taking notes.

Jenni Hermoso arrives at the court ahead of the trial REUTERS/Ana Beltran

Rubiales, 47, is accused of sexual assault and then attempting to coerce Hermoso – with the help of three other men – into declaring that the kiss had been consensual.

Though he apologised for being over effusive in a moment of national triumph, Rubiales denies those criminal charges and has cast himself as the victim of a witchhunt.

Asked by a prosecutor at Madrid’s High Court if she had agreed to the kiss, Hermoso replied: “Never”.

“I didn’t hear or understand anything,” she added, describing the moment. “The next thing he did was to grab me by the ears and kiss me on the mouth.”

Rubiales has said it was consensual and scoffed at critics in the aftermath, but Hermoso said she felt a victim of aggression and had pressure put on her to sign a statement exonerating him, which she said she refused to do.

WORLD CUP WIN OVERSHADOWED

The ensuing scandal eclipsed Spain’s first women’s World Cup victory and proved a tipping point for efforts by Spain’s female players to expose sexism and achieve parity with male counterparts.

The trial will see several of Hermoso’s teammates, including Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, testify.

Rubiales has asked his daughters to take the stand.

He and his co-defendants – former women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda, former Spanish football federation (RFEF) sporting director Albert Luque and the RFEF’s former head of marketing Ruben Rivera – will testify on or after Feb. 12 once the court has interviewed the rest of the witnesses.

“I trust in justice. I am calm,” Vilda said as he arrived.

The prosecution is seeking 2-1/2 years’ prison for Rubiales, although in Spain those handed sentences under two years can usually escape incarceration by paying damages instead if they do not have prior convictions.

The scandal sparked a strike by Hermoso’s teammates and saw several heads roll at the federation, with both Rubiales and his right-hand man and successor being ousted and a woman appointed to coach the women’s team for the first time.

-Reuters

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