Bid to host the Women's World Cup 2027: Strong competition for the Europeans from America

German women's football could use any boost right now. However, DFB president Bernd Neuendorf was unable to play along when a major milestone was set last week for the joint bid with Belgium and the Netherlands to host the 2027 Women's World Cup.

The five-day inspection trip for a high-level FIFA delegation was planned without exposure to the media, even though the International Federation wants to take this tournament to new dimensions.

DFB General Secretary Heike Ulrich, as the former director of women's football, had in-depth knowledge of the matter when he made the so-called request. The book of giving At the beginning of December he said that the requirements “We are definitely at the level of the men's World Cup – that's a good thing.” Germany signed 89 contracts with long-term guarantees and reassurances for the following reasons: “You think big in all areas.”

It is still possible to eliminate a German city

From last Monday (29 January 2024) to Friday (2 February 2024), an eleven-member FIFA delegation with many specialist staff and high-level officials from the German, Belgian (RBFA) and Dutch (KNVB) associations got a detailed picture of what was planned. From stadiums, training facilities, team hotels, and fan festivals in the border triangle.

From Dusseldorf we went to Dortmund Stadium and then to the Football Museum. This was followed by visits to arenas in Düsseldorf, Brussels and Eindhoven. The KNVB, as the initiator of the application, led its campus in Zeist and then across the square to Amsterdam.

Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Gelsenkirchen and Cologne have been named as German stadiums, but similar to the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, FIFA will likely eventually reduce the number of stadiums to ten. A German city could still slip through the vibrating screen, as Belgium has four locations and the Netherlands has recorded five.

South Africa's withdrawal represents an opportunity

Since South Africa withdrew its application, one remains missing “A very, very strong competitor.” (Ulrich), who would have had the biggest opportunities for sports policy reasons. Now the Europeans are voting against Brazil and the dual request from the US and Mexico at the FIFA Congress on May 17 in Bangkok. It is clear that the votes cast by delegates from Africa and Asia tip the scales.

FIFA inspection tours in Brazil, the USA and Mexico remain suspended. Overall, the world body is clearly interested in a transparent awards process – unlike the 2030 Men's World Cup, which was planned in opaque ways and which would likely be followed four years later by a final round in Saudi Arabia that would be difficult to prevent.

The World Assembly has made submission files public, and the same should happen with evaluation reports. The European application is summarized under the slogan “BNG”: it stands for “Break new ground“And the first letters to the three nations.

He added: “The goal is a local tournament with a global impact that not only meets the requirements and goals stipulated in FIFA specifications in all fields, but also exceeds them if possible.”Neuendorf, along with his counterparts Pascal Van Dam (Belgium) and Joost Spee (Netherlands), said in a statement after the inspection trip on Friday (02/02/2024).

Sustainability is a bargaining chip in application

“We have to be very good so that the FIFA family cannot ignore us.”said Patrick Kisko, who is in charge of the application process. The head of the German Football Association, which has already participated in the 2011 Women's World Cup, is promoting a tournament that will be hospitable for players and fans, safe and, above all, more compact than ever before.

The radius between places is only 150 kilometres, which makes air travel unnecessary because everything can be reached by bus or train. Teams and fans can live in one place. The carbon dioxide footprint is reduced to a minimum.

The 2027 Women's World Cup would therefore provide an environmentally conscious counterpoint, because, as was the case with the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, huge distances would have to be traveled by plane for the 2026 Men's World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. . Brazil, the United States and Mexico will face the same problem again in 2027.

The United States and Mexico promise three billion dollars

But the sustainability aspect is only one thing. The other thing is finances. The offer from the USA and Mexico promises revenues of US$3 billion. Organizers wrote that this would be possible thanks to the rapid growth of women's football.

This would be an incredibly high amount in the women's sector. For comparison: At the 2023 World Cup, the company achieved profitability for the first time with record revenues of $570 million, much to the delight of FIFA director Gianni Infantino.

The BNG association also emphasizes the commercial potential. “This aims to set new standards in terms of revenues from the sale of media rights, sponsorships and ticket sales.”Is he[called[يُدعى

It is accurately reported that between 2.2 and 2.5 million tickets will be sold, which will cost between 20 and 125 euros from the group stage to the final. But with the best will in the world, you cannot and will not promise $3 billion in revenue. There can't be too many booms in women's football in the next three years.