FIFA has cleared the joint bids for the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cups, with a United States-led bid set to stage the first 48-team edition in 2031 and the United Kingdom hosting four years later.

FIFA's evaluation reports, released on Wednesday, found both bids met the minimum hosting requirements, and they will now be put to a vote at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress on 23 November.

The 2031 bid: USA, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica

The 2031 bid is a joint submission from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica, and it is the only bid for the tournament. It proposed 20 stadiums in 20 host cities, with 14 in the United States, four in Mexico and one each in Jamaica and Costa Rica, and received an overall evaluation score of 4.4 out of 5.

The 2031 edition will be the first Women's World Cup to feature 48 teams, up from 32, and FIFA's report noted the bid's strong foundation after the United States jointly hosted the men's World Cup with Mexico and Canada earlier this year.

The 2035 bid: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The 2035 bid comes from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland under the theme "All Together". It proposed 19 stadiums in 15 host cities, with 14 in England and the rest spread across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and received an overall score of 4.3 out of 5. The final would be played at Wembley Stadium in London, which hosted the Women's Euro 2022 final when England beat Germany.

The tournament would be the first Women's World Cup staged in the United Kingdom, and the first time the four home nations have hosted a senior World Cup together. England last hosted a World Cup final at Wembley in 1966, when the men's team beat West Germany.

The 2035 edition will also feature 48 teams, with 12 groups of four followed by a knockout round beginning with the last 32.

What happens next

Both bids now go before FIFA's member associations at the Extraordinary Congress on 23 November for formal approval. With each bid unopposed, the votes are expected to confirm the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica as 2031 hosts and the four UK nations as 2035 hosts.

The next Women's World Cup takes place in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July 2027, before the tournament expands to 48 teams for the first time four years later. Read the full report from Reuters.