After emerging as the clear favorite in recent months, the bid from Australia and New Zealand was selected Thursday to host the next Women’s World Cup in 2023. Australia-New Zealand outpolled Colombia, its only remaining competition, in a vote by 35 eligible members of the ruling FIFA Council, as opposed to the every-FIFA-member votes system that sent the 2026 World Cup to the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Australia-New Zealand won the vote, 22-13, with Colombia receiving its non-South American support from Europe. Long-time U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, who still sits on the FIFA Council, voted for Australia-New Zealand.