Birmingham Council is planning to bid to become one of the host cities for the 2035 Women’s World Cup
Alexander Brock Local Democracy Reporter
11:46, 28 Oct 2025
The Lionesses during England’s Euros quarterfinal match against Sweden(Image: Andrew Stenning/Daily Mirror)
Birmingham hosting the Commonwealth Games back in 2022 felt like a seminal moment for many, with the event attracting tourism, praise and a huge economic boost.
But there are ambitions of the city further establishing itself as one of the main places to go in the country for major sports events in the years to come.
Brum already has the European Athletics Championships, the Invictus Games and the 2028 Men’s Euros lined up over the next three years.
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And now the opportunity to host the Women’s’ Football World Cup in 2035 could see the city enhance its sporting reputation even more.
The tournament is set to be held in the UK after Fifa president Gianni Infantino said the country was the sole “valid” bidder for the sporting event.
Birmingham Council confirmed this month that it has plans to bid to become one of the event’s host cities in 10 years’ time, adding it could bring an array of benefits.
Here’s a look at what we know about Birmingham’s World Cup bid.
What benefits would it bring to Birmingham?
Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo during the Euros 2025 final(Image: Andrew Stenning/Daily Mirror)
The council said in a recently-published report that there could be an economic boost of more than £100m for Birmingham by hosting the event.
“The host city and region will have further opportunities to maximise the positive economic impact,” it continued.
It said there would be requirements for training venues, hotels, increased throughput at the airport and the opportunity to bid to become the International Broadcasting Centre.
The council went on to say that major events also help attract regional, national and international visitors, both around the event itself but also in the longer-term.
“They raise awareness of Birmingham as a potential destination through domestic and international media and digital coverage,” it said.
“This event will see 300,000 ticket holders come to the city over 39 days, 50,000 of these will be from overseas.”
Other benefits identified by the council include:
- A chance for the city to once again showcase itself on a global stage.
- Opportunities for the hospitality, wider night-time economy and retail sector.
- Being able to build on the “legacy for physical activity and sport in the city”.
- A share of the 31,000 jobs which could be created across England.
Where would it be held in Birmingham?
Villa Park in Birmingham(Image: Nick Wilkinson/Birmingham Live)
The council report said a number of stadiums within England have gained “preferred status”, with the expectation that around three quarters of them will ultimately be selected by FIFA to be final venues.
It went on to confirm that Birmingham has two stadiums that have made this shortlist.
While these venues are not directly mentioned in the report, it does note that Aston Villa and Birmingham City have been involved in the bid.
“FIFA are expected to make an announcement on the award of the event in the spring of 2026,” the council said. “However, the current timeline does not have them confirming the final details of which stadia will be selected until 2030/2031.”
The host city will also be expected to provide a FIFA Fan Festival which needs to be close to the city centre and be able to hold around 10,000 spectators, the council says.
“The city does not have one outdoor central location that can accommodate this scale of audience and so is proposing a split site across both Centenary and Victoria squares,” it continued.
“But by 2035 there may be other sites to consider such as Festival Square (due to come in line in Smithfield) or even indoor sites, which we expect to utilise for the UEFA EURO 2028.”
How would the event be funded?
Coun Sharon Thompson(Image: BirminghamLive)
Coun Sharon Thompson, deputy leader at Labour-run Birmingham City Council, addressed funding during a meeting this month.
She said that hosting costs “in large” would be met by the government, with a contribution from Birmingham Council and West Midlands Combined Authority.
Is Birmingham competing against other UK cities?
Several other UK cities have expressed interest in becoming a host city, including Belfast, Cardiff, Leeds, Nottingham and Bristol.
“Birmingham will be directly competing against many other core cities and first-class football stadia to become one of the selected host cities for the tournament,” the council said.
“However, its proven track record of delivering major sporting events and its fantastic transport links and good infrastructure puts it in a strong position to be one of the final English host cities selected.”
What has Birmingham City Council said about the event and transport?
Coun Thompson described the possibility of hosting the World Cup as an “incredible opportunity for our city” during this month’s meeting.
“[It would put] us on the global stage alongside other cities across the country and bring in economic growth, skills and jobs, which is much-needed,” she said.
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“This event would not only be about football but it’s about celebrating women’s sport – we’re seeing that on the rise more and more every day.”
Coun Majid Mahmood, cabinet member at the council, said it was a “chance to showcase Birmingham as a confident, capable and world-class destination for major sporting events”.
“Hosting the Women’s World Cup will […] highlight the investment made in our city, especially around our transport infrastructure,” he continued.
“The event will have a sustainable transport plan in place and we will set a target of 80 per cent of fans to travel by public transport.”
What lessons will be learnt from the 2022 Commonwealth Games?
The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham were a success in many ways, creating jobs and contributing £1.2 billion to the UK economy.
But a damning report this year revealed some worrying findings over the major athletes village project, which a former council leader claimed would help rejuvenate Perry Barr and create a “meaningful legacy” back in 2018.
It confirmed the project had resulted in a “significant financial loss to the council”, the costs of which will be “borne over future years”.
“As this bid progresses, we are applying lessons learnt from the Commonwealth Games and other major events hosted across the city,” Coun Thompson said this month.
“We’re looking to make sure there’s strong oversight and management, financial discipline and minimal burden on the public purse.”
Government-appointed commissioners, sent in to oversee Birmingham Council’s financial recovery, said they wanted a report to demonstrate how the local authority had used “relevant lessons learnt” from hosting the Commonwealth Games.
Apartments in Perry Barr in 2023
Coun Karen McCarthy, the cabinet member overseeing finance, said at the recent meeting: “This isn’t us getting on the right track and then immediately getting distracted by something bright and shiny – this is a well-thought out bid.
“We’re ten years out, we need to be careful over the whole of those ten years that we are not at any point dazzled by the excitement of the Women’s World Cup.
“We have to keep our feet on the ground and focus on everything else we need to do while making this an exemplar of a world sporting event.”
Coun Thompson added earlier this year that the council is being transformed and its governance process are being strengthened “to ensure members get the best professional advice, ensuring these mistakes [of the Perry Barr scheme] are not repeated”.
Several issues contributed to the wider financial turmoil at the council, including the equal pay debacle, inadequate budget setting, demand-led pressures and the disastrous implementation of a new IT system.
Labour politicians have also highlighted the impact of previous funding cuts during the previous Conservative government.