April 23 – It always seemed an unlikely, if ground-breaking, prospect, both from a sporting and political standpoint. And now it appears to have reached the end of the road with South Korea’s FA (KFA) dropping neighbours North Korea from possible co-hosting the 2023 Women’s World Cup, apparently due to lack of proper coordination.
When FIFA last week announced the list of a record nine member associations that have submitted formal bidding registrations, South Korea was listed as a sole entry though FIFA noted the KFA “expressing interest in a joint bid with” the north.
But a KFA official said the two football governing bodies haven’t had a chance to discuss their proposal and that, as a result, the KFA have decided to go it alone.
The deadline for bid books to FIFA is October 4 with FIFA expected to name the host in March next year.
The possibility of a joint Korean bid for the tournament surfaced last month when FIFA President Gianni Infantino told the Associated Press, “I have been hearing for the Women’s World Cup in 2023, the two Koreas. It would be great.
South Korean officials at the time explained that FIFA had first approached them about the joint bid and that they were carefully considering the proposal. The South will now pursue a lone bid up against Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.
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