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England Women have reached two consecutive major finals
The UK should aim to host the FIFA Women's World Cup within the next 15 years, says the body responsible for the country's elite sport.
UK Sport has published a list of a total of 70 “ambitious” target events.
The list also includes the Men's Rugby World Cup, the World Athletics Championships, the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup and the Tour de France.
“We want to deliver a live sports program that resonates with British audiences,” said UK Sport’s Simon Morton.
The organization oversees the funding of elite sport in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
It added: “The identified events have the potential to generate an economic impact of approximately £5 billion across 20 locations for over 15 million fans.”
For the 2027 edition, FIFA has received one application from Brazil and two multinational applications, the first from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands and the second from Mexico and the United States.
The call for applications for 2031 will not open until the host for 2027 has been announced.
The Women's Rugby World Cup in 2025 will be hosted in England and Birmingham has been selected as the host city for the European Athletics Championships in 2026
UEFA Euro 2028 will take place in the member states of the United Kingdom – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – as well as the Republic of Ireland.
UK Sport's new list does not include the Commonwealth Games, which were last hosted in Birmingham in 2022.
Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said: “With the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley in June and the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025, we are building on our world-leading reputation as a venue for major sporting events.”
“We are working closely with UK Sport and its partners to achieve our shared goal of delivering up to 70 major events across 30 different sports across the UK in the coming years.”
Some of the events UK Sport are looking to target:
- FIFA Women's World Cup
- Men's Rugby World Cup
- World Athletics Championships
- Ryder Cup (golf)
- Solheim Cup (golf)
- Tour de France and Tour de France women (cycling)
- Women's Netball World Cup
- Skateboarding World Championships
- Olympic Qualifier Series (various sports)
- UCI Cycling World Championships
- Athletics Diamond League
- World Triathlon Para Cup
- Judo Grand Prix
- World Taekwondo Grand Prix
- Triathlon World Championships in sprint and relay
analysis
Dan Roan, ` sports editor
Twelve years after London 2012, UK Sport is clearly concerned about increasing competition from both traditional and new rivals such as Saudi Arabia when it comes to hosting major events.
The funding agency believes the UK must respond now and says it wants to prioritize events that offer “reach and resonance”.
A possible bid for the Women's World Cup will grab headlines, but the emphasis on urban sports and e-sports events is also evident.
It is also significant that the Commonwealth Games do not appear on the list of target events. Britain has hosted three of the last six Commonwealth Games, but UK Sport has concerns about the cost and value it offers in its current format.
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