Key facts
- A Trump administration official stated the U.S. intends to host the 2031 Women's World Cup.
- The official indicated the tournament would align with the administration's policy on transgender athletes.
- FIFA is currently reviewing bids for the 2031 Women's World Cup.
- A joint bid from the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica is the only candidate.
- FIFA will vote on the hosts for the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cups before the end of 2026.
A Trump administration official stated that the United States intends to host the 2031 Women's World Cup, aligning with the administration's policy priorities, including restrictions on transgender athletes in sports. The official, identified as Giuliani, expressed enthusiasm for the potential tournament, suggesting it would build on the momentum of the 2026 men's World Cup and potentially feature different host cities.
FIFA has not yet formally awarded the hosting rights for the 2031 Women's World Cup. The organization is currently in a bidding process, with a joint bid from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica being the sole candidate after FIFA's Council endorsed a single-candidate process. FIFA plans to hold an Extraordinary Congress before the end of 2026, where member associations will vote on the hosts for both the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cups.
The current FIFA policy, established in 2011, does not mandate routine sex verification testing. Instead, national federations are responsible for verifying player eligibility before submitting rosters, including investigating any perceived deviations in secondary sex characteristics.
Trump also suggested that FIFA should select another host for the 2038 men's World Cup to reduce global tensions. FIFA has awarded the 2030 World Cup to a six-country arrangement including Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with opening matches in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, while Saudi Arabia was chosen to host the 2034 World Cup. Trump mentioned FIFA President Gianni Infantino had suggested a joint US-China World Cup bid. Additionally, Trump acknowledged calling Infantino to review a red card decision for U.S. player Folarin Balogun.