The next Women's World Cup is set for next summer in Brazil. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup, defeating England 1-0 in the final in Sydney. Spain is currently ranked No. 1 in the world, with Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, as well as young star Salma Paralluelo.
Spain star Rodri paid Bonmati the ultimate compliment in a TV interview after the men's final: "I'm trying to see if I can get to her level."
The United States was knocked out in the round of 16 by Sweden in 2023. Still, the U.S. has won four World Cup titles and is ranked No. 2.
The U.S. will host Spain twice in October as a tuneup for CONCACAF qualifying starting in late November in Texas. U.S. midfielder Lily Yohannes said: "We know Spain is an amazing team, and I think we're just really looking forward to having this prep. Especially before qualifying. It will be a really great opportunity for us."
Qualification is underway, with 14 teams already securing berths. Brazil, which has an automatic spot as host, has never won the women's tournament.
Former Brazil defender Aline Pellegrino, now executive director of legacy and stakeholder affairs for the Women's World Cup in Brazil, said: "Some time ago the opportunities for men and women were not equal. But that's changing. This World Cup has tremendous potential to make that change truly happen. FIFA, together with the federal government and the host cities, have been working very hard to ensure that we'll have full stadiums and that everything runs as efficiently as possible."
The biggest question around the Brazilians is the status of veteran captain Marta, the nation's all-time leading scorer with 122 goals. Marta retired from international play following Brazil's match against the United States.