Man Utd Eye Women's World Cup Final Glory at New Old Trafford – But FA's Got Wembley Wedded
Manchester United are pushing for their new 100,000-seat Old Trafford to host the 2035 Women's World Cup final, backed by club exec Collette Roche and mayor Andy Burnham. However, the FA remains committed to Wembley as per their FIFA bid submission. The unopposed UK joint bid eyes a historic tournament, with FIFA's decision delayed to later this year.
Man Utd's Stadium Dream Clashes with FA's Wembley Loyalty
Picture this: Manchester United unveiling a shiny new 100,000-seater beast of a stadium, ready to steal the show for the 2035 Women's World Cup final. Sounds epic, right? Well, Collette Roche, United's chief exec for the New Stadium Development, has been banging that drum loud and proud this week, chatting up the idea like it's the next best thing since Fergie's hairdryer.
Roche didn't hold back in a flurry of interviews on Tuesday. She's dead set on delivering this £2bn+ mega-project bang on time, land deals with Freightliner and all. 'We're on track,' she insists, eyes gleaming at the thought of not just footy, but international spectacles and gigs too. And get this – Andy Burnham, the mayor, is all in, dreaming of that World Cup final under the Old Trafford lights (or whatever fancy LEDs they'll have).
FA Plays Hard to Get with Wembley Wishlist
But hold your horses, Reds fans. The FA isn't budging an inch. They've already pencilled in Wembley as their top pick for the big finale when they lodged the joint UK bid with FIFA last November. As reported by The Guardian (via OneFootball), this ain't changing, even if United's new pad is ready to rumble by 2035.
It's a joint effort from the home nations – England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland – eyeing the biggest sporting bash the UK's ever seen. The current Old Trafford is in the bid book as one of 22 proposed venues (16 in England alone), but if United pull off their rebuild, it'd slot in nicely for other games. The final, though? That's Wembley's territory, and FIFA rarely pokes its nose into the host's homework.
Roche name-dropped Burnham's endorsement, calling a potential final 'incredible'. Fair play, it's a mouth-waterer. Yet the FA's like that mate who insists on his local pub for the footy, no matter how flash your new boozer is.
Bid Timeline and United's Hurdles
The plot thickens with FIFA's scheduling shuffle. They were meant to rubber-stamp the 2031 and 2035 World Cups at their Vancouver congress next month, but nah – extraordinary congress later this year it is. The UK's unopposed for 2035, facing off against a US-Mexico-Costa Rica-Jamaica quad for 2031. Confidence is high in FA circles; no sweat.
United's still hustling for funding and that crucial land buy. Over £2 billion? Blimey, that's some quid. Roche swears it's doable, no firm open date yet, but aligned with the World Cup timeline. Imagine the scenes: England Lionesses lifting the trophy amid a sea of red, or maybe just belting out 'World in Motion' to capacity.
Still, Wembley’s got that arch, that history – 90,000 roaring for the 2022 Euros triumph. Can United tempt fate? Probably not, but kudos for the ambition. It's like United saying, 'We've got the Theatre of Dreams 2.0, let's make it the main act!' FA responds: 'Cheers, but we're good.'
In the end, this bid's a cracker for women's footy. First time on these shores, massive crowds, proper legacy. Whether it's Wembley's glow or Old Trafford's rebirth stealing semis or group games, it'll be class. Keep an eye – stranger things have happened in the beautiful game. (Word count: 528)