Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has welcomed the official submission of the joint bid to FIFA to host the Women’s World Cup in 2035.

The bid, a collaboration between the Irish Football Association, the Football Association, the Scottish Football Association, and the Football Association of Wales, includes Belfast as a potential host city for matches.

The Women’s World Cup is the largest single-sport women’s event globally, boasting an international viewing audience of 2 billion and attracting thousands of travelling fans.

Minister Archibald stated that hosting such a prestigious, global event would provide a lasting legacy. She believes it would inspire women and girls to become more active and involved in sports while attracting international visitors to Northern Ireland's shores. The Minister referenced Northern Ireland's recent success in delivering major sporting events, such as The 153rd Open, as evidence of the region’s capability. She said: “We are grateful to the Irish FA and our neighbouring partners in preparing the joint bid and we await the decision with every hope that we get the opportunity to play our part in hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035.”

Angela Platt, Director of Women's Football for the Irish FA, echoed the sentiment, stating that hosting the tournament would be a "defining moment for young girls who play football across our four home nations."

She added that for Northern Ireland, this aligns directly with the "Together We Thrive women and girls’ strategy," aiming to create a lasting legacy that gives more women and girls the chance to play, develop, and stay involved in football at every level.

The FIFA Council is scheduled to meet at the end of April 2026 to make a final decision on the hosts for the tournament.