The U.S. and Mexico are withdrawing their joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation announced Monday that they are dropping this bid to focus on earning hosting rights for 2031.

“Hosting a World Cup tournament is a huge undertaking — and having additional time to prepare allows us to maximize its impact across the globe,” U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement to multiple outlets.

“I’m proud of our commitment to provide equitable experiences for the players, fans and all our stakeholders. Shifting our bid will enable us to host a record-breaking Women’s World Cup in 2031 that will help to grow and raise the level of the women’s game both here at home as well as across the globe.”

The U.S.-Mexico bid was a finalist for the 2027 tournament. Now, the FIFA Congress will decide between Brazil and a joint bid by Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands when they convene to vote May 17.

The U.S. and Mexico are already co-hosting the men’s World Cup in 2026 along with Canada. The Women’s World Cup has been held in the States twice, though not since 2003, an emergency situation when the tournament was relocated from China due to the SARS epidemic.

Australia and New Zealand hosted the 2023 edition of the tournament, won by Spain.

–Field Level Media