6 months ago
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The Women's World Cup will take place in South America for the first time after Brazil was chosen to host the 2027.
FIFA delegates meeting in Bangkok voted 119 to 78 in favor of the Brazil bid rather than a joint bid from Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
"We knew we would be celebrating a victory for South American women's soccer and for women," said president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, Ednaldo Rodrigues.
"You can be sure, with no vanity, we will accomplish the best World Cup for women."
The last edition of the tournament in Australiaand New Zealand in 2023, which featured 32 teams for the first time, earned a record $570 million (€525 million) in commercial revenue, which will likely have played a role in why FIFA chose to expand women's football to another new continent. Furthermore, in FIFA's evaluation report released on May 8, Brazil's bid was given 4 out of a possible 5 points, while the joint European bid scored just 3.7.
The decision was made easier when the United States and Mexico withdrew their joint bid last month, in an effort to push for the 2031 edition.
Brazil's bid includes 10 stadiums used for the men's World Cup in 2014, with Rio de Janeiro's famous Maracana lined up for the opening match and final. But there is still a lot of work to do, given the Brazilian football confederation is battling legal challenges against its president and some stadiums are in need of urgent repair.
The host team will be hoping for a better outing than last time, when they made a group-stage exit. A first ever World Cup win for Brazil's women would be the ultimate dream on home soil.
jh/pfd (Reuters, AFP)
