Japan’s Bid For 2031 Women’s World Cup Thwarted By FIFA Decision

Tokyo: Japan’s Football Association expressed disappointment on Thursday after FIFA announced that only North American and African countries would be eligible to bid for the 2031 Women’s World Cup.

The decision follows a statement by FIFA on Wednesday, which also confirmed that the 2035 event would be hosted by either Europe or Africa. This move has effectively ended Japan’s ambitions of hosting the 2031 tournament.

In an interview last year, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, the president of the Japan Football Association, outlined the country’s intention to host the 2031 World Cup, aiming to elevate the profile of women’s football in Japan.Football Coach Bobby Bowden ‘King of the Road’ dies at 91

Despite the setback, Miyamoto emphasized that this decision would not alter Japan’s long-term commitment to developing women’s football. He added that they would continue working to expand participation and improve the quality of the game in Japan.

Miyamoto, who captained Japan at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, had hoped that hosting the 2031 event would help Japan narrow the competitive gap with European and North American teams.

The national women’s team has not progressed beyond the World Cup quarter-finals since their runner-up finish in 2015. However, Miyamoto remained optimistic, signaling that Japan would consider bidding for the 2039 Women’s World Cup or later.

In the meantime, Brazil will host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, offering another stage for the global game’s growth.