Revealed: Full shortlist of incredible UK stadiums chosen to host 2035 Women's World Cup as decisions made on Man Utd & Birmingham's new grounds

The proposal features a sweeping list of host grounds, from established icons such as Wembley, the Emirates and the Principality Stadium to state-of-the-art projects like Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium and Birmingham City’s proposed £2.5 billion Powerhouse Stadium. Most eye-catching, however, is the inclusion of United’s future Old Trafford, a 100,000-seat arena still in its conceptual phase. While the current Old Trafford is also listed as a backup option, the bold attempt to anchor the Women’s World Cup final at a yet-to-be-built venue captures the scale of Britain’s ambition.

United’s new Old Trafford and Birmingham’s Powerhouse Stadium have both been included despite neither project receiving a final green light for construction. Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiled his redevelopment vision earlier this year, but concrete progress has been slow. Regardless, senior United figures are said to be confident the venue will surpass Wembley in capacity and matchday experience by 2035. Birmingham City, meanwhile, are banking on a massive regeneration effort backed by minority owner Tom Brady. If completed on schedule, the Powerhouse Stadium would open at the start of the 2030-31 season. Some existing grounds did not meet FIFA standards. Stamford Bridge and Wrexham’s historic Stok Cae Ras fell short, forcing the FA to enter a placeholder venue for Chelsea, named "Chelsea Stadium", as part of the submission. Todd Boehly is already exploring relocation options that would allow the London club to pursue a significantly larger home.

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The Women’s World Cup will expand to 48 teams from 2031, matching the men’s competition, a change that demands at least 15 FIFA-compliant stadiums. The UK bid goes further, offering 22 potential venues to ease scheduling pressure and accommodate 104 matches over 39 days. With 16 stadiums in England, three in Wales, two in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland, the plan reflects a deliberate effort to distribute matches across all four nations.

A joint statement from the heads of the Irish, English, Welsh and Scottish FAs described the bid as a transformational opportunity: "A Women's World Cup in the UK has the power to turbo charge the women's and girls' game both in the UK and globally. Our bid also demonstrates our commitment to leaving a lasting legacy, in the run up to 2035, and the years afterwards."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer threw his weight behind the bid, praising the Lionesses’ impact on young players and highlighting government investment in school sport and grassroots facilities.

"Our bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup shows the UK’s passion for football," the Labour leader said. 

"The Lionesses’ success has inspired girls across our country, and we’ll build on that momentum by welcoming millions of football fans from around the world to a tournament that will benefit communities and businesses in host cities up and down the UK. With significant investment in school sport and grassroots facilities through our Plan for Change, we’re creating opportunities for girls to play for their national team."

England manager Sarina Wiegman also welcomed the announcement and added: "It's so much more than football, I think. It will boost the women's game but it will boost women in society and, as we have seen, it will bring the country together."

1. Windsor Park (Belfast)

2. Powerhouse Stadium (Birmingham)

3. Villa Park (Birmingham)

4. American Express Stadium (Brighton)

5. Ashton Gate (Bristol)

6. Cardiff City Stadium (Cardiff)

7. Principality Stadium (Cardiff)

8. Easter Road (Edinburgh)

9. Hampden Park (Glasgow)

10. Elland Road (Leeds)

11. Hill Dickinson Stadium (Liverpool)

12. Chelsea Stadium (London)

13. Emirates Stadium (London)

14. Selhurst Park (London)

15. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London)

16.  Wembley Stadium (London)

17. Etihad Stadium (Manchester)

18. St James' Park (Newcastle)

19. City Ground (Nottingham)

20. Stadium of Light (Sunderland)

21. Old Trafford (Manchester) 

22. Stok Cae Ras (Wrexham) 

Behind the scenes, a fascinating power struggle is emerging. United, buoyed by their vast stadium redevelopment plan, are lobbying to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup final at their new £2 billion Old Trafford, instead of Wembley. The club believes the North deserves a world-class final, and insiders claim United are prepared to challenge long-held FA traditions that centre showpiece events in London. 

 United’s Chief Operating Officer, Collette Roche, did not hide the club’s enthusiasm for the regeneration initiative.

He said: "We want to build the world’s best football stadium as a new home for Manchester United and a venue fit for the biggest international events, including the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, surrounded by a vibrant business, leisure and residential district served by excellent transport links. We are determined to play our part, together with other stakeholders, in making this vision a reality, and unlocking the huge benefits it can deliver for the surrounding community and wider region.

"So our ask of the government is that they support, not the stadium build, but support the infrastructure and the regeneration of the area. And when we've looked at it really closely, it actually ticks so many boxes for the government around their growth strategy. So it's very easy for us to use this as a catalyst to help deliver the government plans."

Oxford Economics estimates that United’s stadium-led regeneration could generate £7.3 billion per year for the UK economy, support 92,000 jobs, create 17,000 homes and bring in nearly two million visitors annually. The numbers underscore why local leaders, and the club itself, hope the World Cup bid could become the catalyst for long-delayed transformation in the Greater Manchester region.