Cape Town — Safa’s efforts to launch a successful bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup have reached a critical stage.
Unless Safa wins the South African government’s support, Fifa member countries will not consider SA a viable option as a future World Cup host. There are massive costs involved in hosting a global tournament, and only the government is able to afford these costs.
However, SA are in a hugely favourable position as a potential host because the basic infrastructure is already in place after the 2010 World Cup. In 2010, the infrastructure cost R30 billion and several high-quality stadiums are now in place.
In January this year, Safa alerted the SA government about its intention to bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The then minister of sport, arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa told Safa to go ahead and register their bid with Fifa.
The new minister of sport, arts and culture Zizi Kodwa has already had several meetings with Safa officials, notably Danny Jordaan (president) and Lydia Monyepao (CEO), and he is pleased with the progress of the bid process. As a result, he has invited Safa to address SA government ministers and members of the executive council (MECs) in Bloemfontein later this week.
Jordaan believes hosting the World Cup will have many spin-offs for the whole continent and help to accelerate professionalism in African women’s football.
“When you look at world football, the first men’s World Cup was 1930,” said Jordaan in an interview with Cosafa TV.
"The first World Cup in Africa was 80 years later. As a result, the gap between European and South American football in relation to Africa and Asia is now impossible to close.
“Of the global revenue for football, 80% goes to Europe. Africa is on the margins. Now, if we sit back and do nothing, and the same pattern emerges in women’s football, we are going to struggle to close the gap between women’s football as well.
“We want to have a strong bid to hopefully secure the Women’s World Cup on the African continent because that will inspire and invigorate, and strengthen football for women on the continent. It will close that gap rather than allow the pattern to repeat itself.
“If we want football to be truly global, then we must increase the competitiveness throughout the world.”
Jordaan recently returned from a meeting at Caf’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, where he briefed the continental governing body on SA’s intention to bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
IOL Sport