The SA Football Association (SAFA) has announced that South Africa has withdrawn its bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In a statement released on Friday night, SAFA stated that the country will instead focus on securing the hosting rights for the 2031 edition of the prestigious tournament.
According to SAFA, the tight timeframe for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup bid presented certain hurdles, hence, SA decided to pull out.
The association said they want to present a well-prepared and compelling bid showcasing the country’s passion for women’s football and its ability to deliver a world-class sporting event.
“This does not diminish our commitment to women’s football and has instead strengthened our commitment to produce a strong South African women’s team for 2031 and a compelling bid for the same tournament,” said SAFA.
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“We were very pleased by the support and advice from the Minister and Deputy Minister of Sport when they encouraged us to work towards preparing a future bid, and in this regard, we felt it was better to regroup and present a well-prepared bid for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
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“The focus is now on making sure that African champions Banyana Banyana have a competitive team for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
In addition, SAFA’s CEO Lydia Monyepao said that it is unfortunate that SA had to pull out of bidding for the 2027 FIFA Women’s Cup but insisted it was for good reasons.
“After doing an assessment and consulting extensively, the decision had to be made,” she declared.
“We felt that it was better to present a well-prepared bid for the 2031 FIFA Women’s and ensure we put our best foot forward rather than producing a rushed presentation.”