Following a successfully hosted and record-breaking FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023™, which welcomed nearly two million people to matches across Australia and New Zealand, Football Australia is ambitious to bring more major tournaments to our shores.
We have explored the opportunity to bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ and – having taken all factors into consideration – we have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition.
Instead, we believe we are in a strong position to host the oldest women’s international competition in the world, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ 2026, and then welcome the greatest teams in world football for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup™. Achieving this – following the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™ and with the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games – would represent a truly golden decade for Australian football.
This would be underpinned by the opportunity for our men’s and women’s teams to compete at major tournaments including FIFA World Cup™ 2026 and 2030, FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2027 and 2031, AFC Asian Cup™ 2023, 2027 and 2031, and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ 2026 and 2030, the Paris 2024 and LA 2028 Olympic Games, as well as at the biennial FIFA U-20 World Cup™ and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ competitions.
Football is the number one participation sport in Australia and, in many respects, is reflective of our nation’s diverse population.
For international tournament hosting, the Australian time zones provide significant opportunities for broadcasters, and we are within touching distance of billions of people in Asia and Oceania, which also helps to provide a strong commercial outlook for competitions.
Football Australia remains committed to contributing positively to the growth and success of football at all levels, including locally, as part of the AFC and globally as part of FIFA.
We wish FIFA and the eventual hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2034™ the greatest success for the good of the game and for everyone who loves our sport.
