Home nations submit official bid for 2035 Women’s World Cup as stadiums in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland confirmed

If the bid is successful, matches will be hosted in cities including Belfast, Brighton, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Sunderland and Wrexham.

It would be the first World Cup hosted in the UK since 1966 and projected to be the largest ever single-sport event in the country.

The football associations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have proposed 22 stadiums for the tournament.

Organisers have claimed the World Cup would generate 4.5 million ticket sales and attract a global TV audience of approximately 3.5 billion.

There will be 48 teams involved in the tournament, playing 104 matches across 39 days. The UK bid has proposed 82 venue-specific training sites and 32 FIFA Fan Festival Sites.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino claimed in April that the UK bid was the only “valid” bid for the 2035 World Cup.

“We received one bid for 2031 and one bid – one valid bid I should add – for 2035,” he said at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade.

“The 2035 bid is from Europe, from the home nations.”

The various CEOs of the home nations’ football associations said in a statement: “We are proud of the growth that we’ve driven in recent years across the women’s and girls’ game.

“A Women’s World Cup in the UK has the power to turbocharge the women’s and girls’ game, both in the UK and globally.”

England manager Sarina Wiegman, speaking in April, said: “We know with the experience of the Euros how big the game is already here and what that momentum did here in the country, but also worldwide.

“So another tournament on an even bigger stage would be incredible and that will give another boost to the game.”

England captain Leah Williamson added: “Having experienced the home tournament, which we all realised at the time how lucky we were, I think it’s exciting news for players to know that potentially that’s on the horizon.

“I’m sure the impact that 2022 has had, you’ll have some stories that will be pretty special having led on from that time.”

Proposed stadiums for 2035 World Cup:

• Belfast – The Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park

• Birmingham – The Sports Quarter Stadium and Villa Park

• Brighton & Hove – The American Express Stadium

• Bristol – Ashton Gate

• Cardiff – Cardiff City Stadium and Principality Stadium

• Edinburgh – Easter Road

• Glasgow – Hampden Park

• Leeds – Elland Road

• Liverpool – The Hill Dickinson Stadium

• London – Stamford Bridge, Emirates Stadium, Selhurst Park, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium

• Manchester – Etihad Stadium

• Trafford – Old Trafford

• Newcastle – St James’ Park

• Nottingham – The City Ground

• Sunderland – Stadium of Light

• Wrexham – SToK Racecourse