FIFA’s 211 Member Associations are gathering in Bangkok, Thailand for world football’s governing body’s 74th annual Congress. This Congress will address a number of important matters impacting the future of the game across the world, not least women’s football.
For what is a historical first, the FIFA Congress will be tasked with choosing the host of the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup to be staged in 2027. Member Associations representing football in its global entirety will, for the first time ever, be asked to cast a vote to choose where the next edition of the world’s greatest football competition will be held.
The responsibility placed on Member Associations is not a light one. The winning bid will have a crucial role in ensuring women’s football’s continued development globally supporting FIFA in delivering its ambitious vision for the game.
Recent times have highlighted a rapid growth in the popularity of women’s football. Participation rates are rising at great speed with fan engagement similarly deepening and growing all the time. This, in turn, has led to increased commercial interest, attracting revenues crucial to helping develop the game and secure its self-sustaining future.
This rapid development has come about in large part due to the strategic vision and tireless efforts FIFA has pursued around women’s football. Under FIFA’s current leadership, women’s football has risen up the agenda commanding a place of very real significance. Central to the efforts FIFA is pursuing is the World Cup – its flagship competition. A competition unrivalled in its sporting excellence and visibility and uniquely positioned to highlight the very best football has to offer both as a sport but also as a social force for positive change acting as key driver in women’s football development.
It is in this context that BNG2027 has sought to design its Vision to host FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027. Central to our bid is the aim to ensure that a BNG2027 hosted FIFA World Cup will act as an accelerator and catalyst in supporting FIFA’s Vision to grow the game across all 211 Member Associations.
For over two years our three National Associations the RBFA, KNVB and DFB have worked tirelessly in shaping a bid which we believe combines all the elements required to make this the best FIFA Women’s World Cup ever. A bid designed around two core pillars.
Pillar one aims to ensure operational and managerial excellence of the competition itself. This means delivering an environment where players are offered the perfect conditions to perform at their most optimal levels alongside assurances that fans can enjoy an experience that covers all their needs and wishes in terms of safety, accommodation, travel and hospitality. Central to this will be the design of a “compact” competition which will see all matches played in a small vicinity around the borders of our three countries which will limit travel for all and align with our ambition in delivering an environmentally-friendly competition.
Pillar two is focused around how to leverage a BNG2027 hosted World Cup to support the acceleration and deepening of women’s football development beyond the borders of Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany so that all 211 Member Associations can reap the benefits as they focus efforts around their own domestic ambitions for women’s football.
The envisaged record-breaking commercial revenues of a BNG2027 World Cup alongside the delivery of tailor-made development programs will be central to these efforts. These two key elements coupled with the visibility of the competition itself will help attract millions of new girls to take up and pursue the game globally and further deepen fan engagement acting as a critical catalyst in accelerating its development.
The ability to shape a bid of this level of ambition was only possible with the full commitment and support of our three national governments, hosting cities and national stakeholders. All have played a crucial role in ensuring the strength and ambition of our bid and will continue to do so should BNG2027 be awarded the hosting rights.
With the vote just hours away, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our fellow Member Associations from across the world for the interest and engagement they have shown BNG2027 over recent months. This is testimony to football’s global community and leadership and its commitment in backing FIFA in pursuing all efforts to ensure women’s football fulfills its true and fullest potential.
A vote for BNG2027 on Friday is a commitment to that cause and Breaking New Ground for women’s football.
BNG2027