United’s ambitions for a new 100,000-seat stadium may just be plans at the moment, but the club’s new state-of-the-art venue has been included as one of the stadiums that may host the 2035 Women's World Cup.
Dubbed the Wembley of the North, many have raised concerns over how the £2BN project will be funded and developed as for now, the stadium are just artist impressions.
Wembley Stadium is the only shortlisted stadium that meets FIFA’s technical requirements for a final whilst Birmingham City’s Sports Quarter Stadium, which is also just plans for now was also included on the list.
The UK is the sole bidder for the 2035 World Cup, giving clubs a decade to prepare for the competition. Reports claim that Wrexham are also planning to increase their stadium capacity before 2035, which would meet FIFA requirements.
In 2031, the Women’s World Cup will expand from 32 to 48 teams and the UK will have to construct 48 team base camps, 82 venue-specific training sites and 32 fan festivals.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said:
“Our bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup shows the UK’s passion for football.
"The Lionesses’ success has inspired girls across our country, and we’ll build on that momentum by welcoming millions of football fans from around the world to a tournament that will benefit communities and businesses in host cities up and down the UK. With significant investment in school sport and grassroots facilities through our Plan for Change, we’re creating opportunities for girls to play for their national team.”
The full list of stadiums can be seen below:
Windsor Park (Belfast)
Sports Quarter Stadium (Birmingham)
Villa Park (Birmingham)
American Express Stadium (Brighton & Hove)
Ashton Gate (Bristol)
Cardiff City Stadium (Cardiff)
Principality Stadium (Cardiff)
Easter Road (Edinburgh)
Hampden Park (Glasgow)
Elland Road (Leeds)
Hill Dickinson Stadium (Liverpool)
Chelsea Stadium (London)
Emirates Stadium (London)
Selhurst Park (London)
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London)
Wembley Stadium (London)
Etihad Stadium (Manchester)
St James' Park (Newcastle)
City Ground (Nottingham)
Stadium of Light (Sunderland)
Old Trafford (Trafford)
Stok Cae Ras (Wrexham)