LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The United States and Mexico withdrew their joint bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, just weeks before the International Football Federation (FIFA) is due to vote to award the tournament at a meeting in Bangkok.

In a joint statement from the US and Mexico football federations, the two governing bodies said they would now switch focus towards mounting a successful bid for the 2031 tournament.

The shock decision comes as FIFA officials prepare to hold a vote at the global governing body’s Congress in Bangkok on 17 May to decide the 2027 hosts.

The US and Mexico withdrawal leaves two rival bids vying for the tournament — a joint bid from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands and a solo bid from Brazil.

The end of the US-Mexico bid came after FIFA said earlier on Monday that the 2027 tournament hosts would for the first time be decided by an open vote when the FIFA Congress convenes in Thailand next month.

The US had been bidding to stage the women’s football flagship event for the third time after hosting the tournament successfully on its own in 1999 and 2003.

Had the US-Mexico bid for 2027 been successful, it would have meant another large-scale sporting event taking place in North America in what has become a crowded calendar for the region.

The United States, Mexico and Canada are already gearing up to stage the men’s 2026 World Cup, while Los Angeles is preparing to host the 2028 Olympics.

The United States is also due to host next year’s expanded FIFA Club World Cup and is also staging this year’s 16-team Copa America.

US Soccer said waiting until 2031 would give tournament organizers more breathing space to plan for the tournament while absorbing lessons from the region’s staging of the 2026 men’s World Cup.

The US had been bidding to stage the women’s football flagship event for the third time after hosting the tournament successfully on its own in 1999 and 2003.

“Hosting a World Cup tournament is a huge undertaking — and having additional time to prepare allows us to maximize its impact across the globe,” US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement.

“I’m proud of our commitment to provide equitable experiences for the players, fans and all our stakeholders.”

“Shifting our bid will enable us to host a record-breaking Women’s World Cup in 2031 that will help to grow and raise the level of the women’s game both here at home as well as across the globe.” 

Mexico Football Federation chief Ivar Sisniega echoed Parlow Cone’s position.

“After careful analysis we feel that moving our bid back to 2031 will allow us to promote and build up to the most successful Women’s World Cup ever,” Sisniega said.

“The strength and universality of our professional women’s leagues, coupled with our experience from organizing the 2026 World Cup, means that we will be able to provide the best infrastructure as well as an enthusiastic fan base that will make all the participating teams feel at home and to put together a World Cup that will contribute to the continued growth of women’s football.” 

Last year’s women’s World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand.

The last time the tournament was held in North America was when Canada hosted in 2015.

The USA is the most successful nation in the women’s game having won the World Cup on four occasions.