SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has endorsed the country's bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which would be the the first ever held in Latin America.
Lula was joined by the president of the Brazilian soccer confederation, Ednaldo Rodrigues, and Sports Minister Ana Moser at an official ceremony Thursday to confirm the bid. Rodrigues and Moser have been working to form a bid that is yet to be delivered to FIFA.
A joint bid from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany as well as another from South Africa are also in contention. U.S. soccer executives considering a bid to host the tournament either in 2027 or 2031.
“It will be an extraordinary event. It will motivate the construction of a political conscience of the Brazilian people so they understand women's effective participation in every field they can and want to take a part of," Lula said during the event at Brazil's presidential palace.
The 77-year-old Brazilian president, in his first public appearance since he recovered from pneumonia, lifted the Women's World Cup trophy during the event. The trophy is traveling to all 32 countries competing in this year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The mayors of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo have each expressed interest in having their cities host the final if Brazil wins the bid.
Brazil hosted the men’s World Cup in 1950 and 2014.
The Brazilian women's team was runner-up at the 2007 World Cup in China, losing the final 2-0 to Germany.
FIFA is expected to announce its choice of host for 2027 next year.
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