South Africa Confirms Bid to Host World Cup 2027 | The African Exponent.

South Africa has announced its intention to host the Women’s World Cup 2027 and confirmed that a bid had been prepared.

You will recall that the South African senior national women’s won the ultimate prize at the just concluded 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

In an announcement made yesterday, the South African Football Association (SAFA) confirmed that the country, which hosted the men’s World Cup in 2010, intends to bid to host the 2027 women’s edition.

“We would love to have the opportunity to roll out the red carpet again in 2027 for the women’s tournament,” SAFA chief executive Tebogo Motlanthe told AFP.

Mr. Motlan said that the decision was made last weekend at the federation’s executive council meeting. Other countries bidding to host the tournament include The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

You will recall that South Africa showed the intention of hosting the 2023 edition but withdrew its bid due to undisclosed reasons. The reigning African women champions believe that this is a better time to host the competition and would be hoping to get the nod from FIFA.

In 2010, the southern African country became the first African country to host the senior men’s FIFA World Cup and maintains that record to date.

The 64 matches held in one month took place in ten stadiums, five of which were purpose-built. These facilities are now used by soccer and rugby teams.

South Africa, Morocco, Zambia, and Nigeria are the African countries that have qualified for the Women’s World Cup in 2023, which Australia and New Zealand will host.

Cameroon and Senegal are among the ten teams that have qualified for the playoffs (February 2023), with three places up for grabs.

“The NEC (National Executive Committee) has resolved that we must bid to host the World Cup for women in 2027,” Safa Chief Executive Officer Tebogo Motlanthe said as quoted by BBC Sport.

“We as [an] administration will duly inform Fifa and then start the process of hosting the World Cup.”

Just like South Africa, Belgium and the Netherlands have never hosted the event. Germany hosted the 2011 edition.

China was the first nation to stage the competition in 1991 and was privileged to host it in 2007 too. Sweden (1995), the United States (1999 and 2003), Canada (2015), and France (2019) are the other nations that have successfully hosted the competition.

The African continent would be rooting for South Africa to bring the competition to home soil for the first time, as they did with the men’s senior tournament in 2010.

The South African women’s team is in high spirits after Banyana Banyana secured their first-ever continental title after defeating hosts Morocco 2-1 in the final in July this year. The two nations will represent the continent in the World Cup alongside Zambia and Nigeria.

About the FIFA Women’s World Cup

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women’s national teams of Fédération Internationale de Football Association members, the sport’s international governing body.

The competition was founded in 1991. And the current champions are the United States team, who has won the title four times.

Sources(s): Africa News, Goal, Wikipedia