March 20 – France has been awarded hosting rights for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, beating off a challenge from South Korea, the only other candidate.
The unanimous decision was taken on the first day of the FIFA executive committee meeting in Zurich that focussed mainly on the winter dates for the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar.
The two bid teams were represented by Noël Le Graët, President of the French Football Association, and Chung Mong-gyu, President of the Korea Football Association.
Initially, five countries declared their interest in the tournament – England, France, South Korea, New Zealand and South Africa – before the field was narrowed down to two in October last year.
Thursday’s announcement will bring the women’s World Cup back to Europe for the first time since Germany served as host in 2007.
This summer’s edition in Canada breaks new ground with 24 teams competing for the first time, eight more than the previous tournament and 12 more than when it first started in 1991 in China.
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