The United States and Mexico have withdrawn their joint bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

The withdrawal comes weeks before FIFA is due to vote to award the tournament at a meeting in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand.

In a joint statement from the U.S. and Mexico football federations on Monday, the two governing bodies said they would now switch focus towards mounting a successful bid for the 2031 tournament.

The U.S. and Mexico withdrawal leaves two rival bids vying for the tournament – a joint bid from Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands and a solo bid from Brazil.

The end of the U.S.-Mexico bid came after FIFA said earlier on Monday that the 2027 tournament hosts would for the first time be decided by an open vote when the FIFA Congress convenes in Thailand next month.

The U.S. had been bidding to stage the women’s football flagship event for the third time after hosting the tournament successfully on its own in 1999 and 2003.

U.S., Mexico submit bid to host 2027 Women’s World Cup

Had the U.S.-Mexico bid for 2027 been successful, it would have meant another large-scale sporting event taking place in North America in what has become a crowded calendar for the region.

The United States, Mexico, and Canada are already gearing up to stage the men’s 2026 World Cup, while Los Angeles is preparing to host the 2028 Olympics.

The United States is also due to host next year’s expanded FIFA Club World Cup and is also staging this year’s 16-team Copa America.

U.S. Soccer said waiting until 2031 would give tournament organizers more breathing space to plan for the tournament while absorbing lessons from the region’s staging of the 2026 men’s World Cup.

U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone, in a statement, said: “Hosting a World Cup tournament is a huge undertaking – and having additional time to prepare allows us to maximize its impact across the globe.

“I’m proud of our commitment to provide equitable experiences for the players, fans and all our stakeholders.

“Shifting our bid will enable us to host a record-breaking Women’s World Cup in 2031 that will help to grow and raise the level of the women’s game both here at home as well as across the globe.”

Mexico Football Federation chief Ivar Sisniega echoed Parlow Cone’s position.

Last year’s Women’s World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand.

The last time the tournament was held in North America was when Canada hosted in 2015.

The USA are the most successful nation in the women’s game having won the World Cup on four occasions.

The Star