South Africa has withdrawn from the competition to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, expressing concerns that they would need to present a “rushed presentation” to FIFA during December.
The deadline for submitting comprehensive plans for the tournament is December 8 and South African officials believe it would be wiser to try and host the following edition in 2031.
“We felt it was better to present a well-prepared bid for 2031… rather than producing a rushed presentation,” said South African Football Association chief executive Lydia Monyepao.
South Africa’s withdrawal narrows the 2027 competition to three bids: joint bids from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, as well as Mexico and the United States, along with an individual bid from Brazil.
The decision on the winning bid to host the tournament, following in the footsteps of co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, will be made during the FIFA congress on May 17, 2024.
Spain currently holds the championship title, securing a 1-0 victory against England in the final watched by a crowd of 75,784 in Sydney last August.