Late December might have felt quiet, but FIFA dropped a bombshell that could put the Emerald City on the global soccer map in a massive way for 2031. They revealed the bids for the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cups, and the 2031 tournament looks all but locked for the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica, as their joint proposal was the sole bid. This means the USA is all but assured to host the women's tournament for the first time since 2003, and our city, Seattle, is right there in the mix.
Our City's Deep Roots In Women's Soccer Just Paid Off
Seattle is one of 20 potential U.S. host cities specifically profiled in that joint bid book, and trust me, FIFA didn't pull that out of thin air. Our city was straight up lauded for its long history with women's soccer and its incredible support for collegiate and professional women's sports. How awesome is that? We've earned this. Even better, the local organizers who brought us the 2026 men's World Cup are already publicly talking about bringing the women's tournament here too. They know what's up, and they know the 12s will show up big time.It's A Done Deal, But Not Without Drama
So, is the 2031 Women's World Cup really coming to the United States? While it won't be officially official until the FIFA Congress meets in November and votes, it's pretty much a done deal at this point. The tournament is blowing up to 48 teams by 2031, and FIFA wants to cycle each edition between different continents. With no other bids coming in for 2031, the Concacaf joint proposal is a "fait accompli." You might remember the vote was originally scheduled for April, but it got pushed back because the Trump administration refused to sign off on required guarantees. They were trying to pressure FIFA and U.S. Soccer into adopting draconian anti-transgender athlete policies. Whether either side backs down before November is still TBD. By the way, Canada isn't in on this bid, unlike the 2026 Men's World Cup. Canada Soccer felt their involvement might make the Concacaf bid less favorable, opening the door for the USA and Mexico to bring in smaller Concacaf nations instead. Smart move.Being 'Profiled' Is A Big Flex, But The Work Isn't Done
Now, what does it actually mean that Seattle was "profiled" in the bid book? The overall proposal lists 35 potential host cities and a whopping 49 venues. We're one of a subset of 20 that got a deeper dive. Honestly, some of this probably reuses content from the 2026 men's World Cup bid book, and let's be real, it's way easier to hype up the metronatural wonders of Seattle than, say, Birmingham or Salt Lake City. The venues profiled were picked to show off "diversity in geography, scale, and infrastructure readiness," which is fair. But here's the kicker: all 49 venues, including those not profiled in depth, will get equal consideration when FIFA finally picks the host cities. So, mark your calendars for November, 12s. That's when the FIFA Congress votes, and while it feels like a slam dunk for the USA, securing our spot as a host city for the 2031 Women's World Cup is the real goal. Let's make sure the Emerald City is ready to show the world how we do women's soccer!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.