'Monumental moment' Home nations tee up joint bid for 2035 Women's World Cup

The home nations are to join together in a bid to host the Women's World Cup in 2035, a move which, if successful, would mark a "monumental moment in our nation's sporting history", according to Keir Starmer, the prime minister.

- Paul MacInnes

A formal expression of interest in staging the tournament, which could be comprised of as many as 48 teams, is to be submitted to Fifa this month on behalf of the football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the governing bodies have confirmed.

Yesterday a meeting of the Fifa Council ruled that the Women's World Cup in 2035 would be awarded to member associations affiliated either to Caf, the confederation of African football, or Uefa. The home nations believe that collaboration and a strong track record will give them a fighting chance of securing the UK its first major global football tournament since 1966.

Mark Bullingham, the CEO of the English FA, said the success of the women's Euros in England in 2022 had proven Britain's credentials.

"Hosting the Fifa Women's World Cup in 2035 would be an honour," he said. "We strongly believe that we could organise a fantastic tournament, building on the success of the Uefa Women's Euro in 2022 and the subsequent rapid growth of the women's game in England.