FA and US Soccer push FIFA for more control over Women’s World Cup delivery
The FA and US Soccer are lobbying FIFA to change its Women’s World Cup delivery model for 2031 and 2035, seeking greater local control over ticketing and operations after concerns about costs and pricing linked to the men’s 2026 tournament.
The Football Association and US Soccer are pressing FIFA to revise how it runs future Women’s World Cups, targeting greater local control over operations and commercial decisions for the 2031 and 2035 tournaments.The two federations are acting in parallel because they are currently the only bidders in the respective cycles, with US Soccer positioned for 2031 and the FA for 2035.Their push is focused on FIFA’s centralised tournament model, introduced after Qatar 2022, which gives FIFA control of key revenue streams such as broadcast, sponsorship and ticketing.Under that approach, local hosts and city authorities can still carry significant delivery costs, including safety, transport and temporary infrastructure.Concerns have sharpened during planning for the men’s 2026 World Cup in North America, where ticket pricing strategy and the allocation of event costs have become flashpoints for stakeholders.The Guardian reported that some host city representatives have raised issues about the financial burden attached to transport and other commitments, while fan groups have criticised high ticket prices and resale dynamics.The FA’s interest also reflects its wider position on affordability in major tournament delivery, with the organisation working with UEFA on pricing principles linked to Euro 2028.Both federations are understood to be advocating a shift back towards a local organising committee model, closer to the structures often used in UEFA events, where a delivery company works with stronger domestic oversight.From a sports business perspective, the debate is about who controls the levers that shape demand, fan access and partner value, particularly ticket pricing, hospitality strategy and the balance between global and local sponsor inventory.For FIFA, centralisation has supported consistent global packaging and revenue growth, but the approach can create friction when local market conditions, political constraints and operational realities require more flexibility.The next formal opportunity to influence the framework is expected later this year, with discussions set to continue ahead of a key FIFA meeting in November.