Will Wrexham Host Women's World Cup 2035?

Two renowned Hollywood actors, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney who have now become football owners, have turned it around for the Welsh club Wrexham. Following their takeover, a docuseries called “Welcome to Wrexham” was produced. The series debuted in August 2022 on FX and Hulu in the United States, and it was followed by a release on Disney+ in the United Kingdom and Ireland as well.

This docuseries had an undeniable effect on Wrexham's visibility, leading to a new global fanbase that was significant for a team in the fifth tier of English football. All this led to the changing fortunes of the club; they began to attract dedicated coverage from sporting media across the world, which could not have been afforded outside the Premier League. This ownership helped the club to become the first club in the history of England's top five football divisions to achieve back-to-back-to-back promotions. The club's valuation has increased to about 7400% within 4 years.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Aim to Bring Women's World Cup 2035 to Wales

The two owners of the club are reportedly tipped to have left a lasting legacy in Welsh football by helping bring the Women's World Cup to Wrexham in 2035. They have decided to redevelop Stoke Cae Ras, also known as Racecourse Ground, to host matches at the 2035 Women's World Cup. The UK, being the sole bidder for the tournament, is most likely to host it. The FAW (Football Association of Wales) has identified two venues to include in the official bid for the 2035 Women's World Cup, including Wrexham.
The Cardiff City Stadium is the first choice for the south of Wales, while Wrexham's redeveloped stadium is being lined up for the North. Reynolds and McElhenney have already begun transforming Wrexham's home; work is underway on a new Kop stand that will raise the capacity of the stadium to around 18,000. They have also laid down the plan to one day expand the stadium to more than 45,000 seats. Noel Mooney, the chief executive of FAW, has described this project as a North Star for the club and the city. He believes a World Cup football match at Wrexham would be a story like no other. Not only this, Wrexham's home ground is about to host the final of the European U19 Championship, which is set to take place in 2026. Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the FAW, which was founded in Wrexham, and to host matches at Wrexham would be the cherry on top.

Will Manchester United Be Able to Host Women's World Cup Final?

While Wrexham hope to stage matches in Wales, Manchester United have their sights set on hosting the World Cup final at their new stadium, "New Trafford," alongside their current home stadium, "Old Trafford." The new stadium is set to have a 100,000-seat stadium, which is more than the iconic Wembley Stadium.
Manchester United co-owner Sir Ratcliffe has already thought about the possibility of having a “Wembley of the North”. The club hopes to have the new stadium ready within five to six years. If the redevelopment of the stadium goes according to plan, the stadium would compete with Wembley to host the World Cup final. The decision on the hosting of the World Cup will be made in April 2026; if the bid is approved, all the nations, including Scotland and Northern Ireland, would qualify to host matches.