The Football Association is considering a bid to host the Women's World Cup in 2031, according to its new chairwoman Debbie Hewitt.
England has never previously hosted the tournament, but missed out on hosting the men's World Cup in 2006 and 2018 after unsuccessful bids.
But the success of the women's European Championships, held in England – and won by the Lionesses – in 2022 has fuelled confidence in a bid for the World Cup, with Hewitt revealing all in her first interview since taking the FA role.
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She told The Times that the FA wants to continue inspiring future generations, as the hosting of the Euros is widely believed to have done. The UK and Ireland have already lodged a joint bit to host the Women's Euros again in 2028.
Hewitt said: “We want to be known as a centre for successfully hosting major events.
"It has a hugely positive impact on the country and on local communities who participate, so why wouldn’t we have ambitions to host a Women’s World Cup, particularly as the women’s game is growing?
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“Our mind is focused on Euro 2028 and we have a very difficult and important bid to win, but as the chair you should always keep your mind’s eye on what’s the next one and what can we do to put ourselves in good shape, and the Women’s World Cup is a very attractive proposition.”
When asked about a bid to host the 2031 tournanent, she said: “We would certainly consider it.”
She added: “We can’t host something like that without government support, it’s a massive collaborative effort, and making sure all the parties know that whoever is in power it would be good for the country."
The FA will find out whether their bid for the 2028 women's Euros will be successful in September this year. The bid is a joint one with the Republic of Ireland and the three other home nations, with Turkey launching a rival bid.
Dominic Booth