The Football Association and US Soccer are mounting a coordinated challenge to Fifa's centralized control of Women's World Cup operations, seeking a return to local management ahead of tournaments scheduled for 2031 and 2035.
Both federations have raised alarm over how Fifa ran this summer's men's World Cup across the US, Canada and Mexico, citing runaway ticket costs and financial clashes with American cities and states. The complaint centers on a structural shift Fifa made after Qatar 2022, when the organization seized operational control from local committees and claimed broadcast rights, sponsorships and ticket revenue for itself.
Under Fifa's model, host cities now shoulder the bill for safety, security and infrastructure while Fifa pockets the profits. The arrangement has backfired spectacularly. Tickets for the men's final topped out at nearly $11,000. New Jersey's governor publicly attacked Fifa for refusing to fund transit costs, leaving commuters facing $150 round-trip fares from Manhattan. Philadelphia and Houston were among the few cities willing to bankroll Fifa's expensive fan festival concept; most others abandoned it entirely.
With the US as sole bidder for 2031 and the FA leading a joint bid from Britain and Ireland for 2035, both federations see an opportunity to reverse course. They're pushing Fifa to adopt a hybrid model that restores significant local authority over planning, pricing and operations.
The FA has already demonstrated an alternative approach through its work with Uefa on Euro 2028. Rather than variable pricing tied to demand, organizers froze ticket costs from the previous tournament and reserved 40 percent of seats in bargain categories under £60. That template appeals to the FA's concerns about Fifa's aggressive ticketing strategy.
Sources connected to US Soccer indicated Fifa had receptive ears during preliminary discussions. The allocation decision comes at an extraordinary general meeting scheduled for November, when both bids will be formally decided.
Neither federation released a public statement on the lobbying effort. Fifa's new operational model, designed to standardize tournament delivery and maximize revenue, faces its stiffest resistance yet from the two federations positioned to host the women's game's next editions.
Author James Rodriguez: "The federations have legitimate grievances, but Fifa won't surrender revenue streams easily. This becomes leverage only if the bids themselves prove more valuable to Fifa than the control the organization now guards jealously."
Comments