FIFA president Gianni Infantino says UK is the ‘one valid bid’ for 2035 Women’s World Cup

Scotland looks set to host matches in the 2035 Women’s World Cup after FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the joint UK plan is the “one valid bid” for the tournament.

The football associations of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland announced last month that they would submit a formal notice of interest to world football’s governing body as the first stage of the bidding process.

The deadline for initial expressions of interest passed on Monday and it was expected that a joint bid from Spain, Portugal and Morocco would rival the home nations.

However, speaking at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade, Infantino said that the UK bid was the only credible bid on the table, meaning the tournament is almost certain to be awarded to the nations.

“We received one bid for 2031 and one bid – one valid bid I should add – for 2035,” Infantino said.

“The 2035 bid is from Europe, from the home nations.”

The official decision will take place at FIFA Congress next year but the UK bid would be voted through by acclamation without any rival. It would still be subject to the FIFA checks on all aspects of the proposals but bid organisers would be confident they can meet all the criteria to hold the tournament.

Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell welcomed the news.

“We look forward to working together to finalise our proposal and lay the foundations for a tournament that will excite football fans around the world and inspire girls and women across Scotland,” he said.

Scottish Women’s Football chief executive Aileen Campbell said: “The significance of this announcement to women and girls in Scotland cannot be understated. Visibility is everything in women’s sport, and the potential impact of hosting the world’s biggest women’s football event on the host nation’s grassroots game can be a game-changer.”