The Football Association and US Soccer Federation are jointly lobbying Fifa to revise the organisational framework it has proposed for the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cups, seeking a greater degree of local control over how the tournaments are run.
The Guardian reports that both federations have grown concerned about the model Fifa intends to apply, with this summer's men's World Cup serving as a reference point for what can go wrong when the governing body retains a tight grip on logistics. Ticket pricing and financial disputes involving US state and city authorities have been among the specific flashpoints cited.
The timing of the push is notable. The FA is simultaneously working with Uefa on arrangements for Euro 2028, which England will co-host, and the Guardian understands the association has moved to freeze ticket prices for that tournament — a decision that reflects a broader institutional desire to keep major tournaments accessible rather than commercially maximised at every tier.
The concerns over Fifa's World Cup model are not new, but the alignment of two of the sport's most influential national federations behind a coordinated lobbying effort gives the challenge considerably more weight. The United States hosted the 1999 Women's World Cup, widely regarded as a watershed moment for the women's game, and both countries have strong commercial and cultural stakes in how future editions are delivered.
What the federations are asking for specifically — whether that means independent oversight of ticketing, greater say in host city negotiations, or something broader — is not yet detailed in the Guardian's reporting. What is clear is that neither association is content to adopt a passive role in discussions that will define two of the next three editions of the tournament.
Fifa has not yet responded publicly to the lobbying effort, and no formal counter-proposal has been reported. The 2031 and 2035 editions remain some years away, but host selection and operational planning tend to begin well in advance, which means the window for federations to influence the governing framework is open now, not later.