FIFA is hoping to receive four bids today.

The people running FIFA, the governing body of soccer, probably are not running to their mailboxes looking for various proposals as groups bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup but those bids need to be in electronically. If the bids don’t come, whatever countries or groups that are talking about bidding for the 2027 Women’s World Cup will not be considered. The United States Soccer Federation and the Mexican Football Federation joint bid is on the table. Three other groups or a cluster of countries are also considering a bid. The Brazilian Football Association and the South African Football Association are interested in holding the event. A joint-European bid by the Royal Belgian Football Association, the Royal Dutch Football Association and the German Football Association may also be in the works. The four groups, should all make bids, will have 364 days to convince FIFA that their bid is the best.

The United States and Mexico will, along with Canada, be hosting the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. All of the infrastructure in terms of venues is in place so FIFA knows the various American and Mexican markets intimately. The United States has hosted two FIFA Women’s World Cups, the 1999 and the 2003 events. Germany hosted the 2011 event. Brazil and South Africa have never hosted the Women’s World Cup but both countries have staged the men’s tournament. Brazil hosted the event in 1950 and 2014 with the 2014 event and the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics becoming a large financial drain on the country. South Africa had the 2010 Men’s World Cup. How does a group get a FIFA event? Show FIFA money, that simple. FIFA is all about money and corruption isn’t a problem for FIFA either. FIFA officials have been accused of taking money in exchange for votes. Let the bidding begin.

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