Can you imagine the Women’s European Cup being held in Germany in 2029? “Such a tournament will not only be valuable to society, but will also promote the theme of equality,” said Celia Sasic, a former German national team player. Sasic is vice-president of the German Football Association (DFB) and is responsible for equality and diversity at the world’s largest sports federation, which has around eight million members.
Therefore, he knows the subject well. She was a two-time European champion as a player. Although he is optimistic that Germany will be the host country, he has not yet declared victory. “In the end, everyone is competing in the selection process, and there no one has control,” Sasic warns.
This week it will be decided whether a third Women’s European Championship will be held in Germany in 2029, after 1989 and 2001. DW answers the most important questions related to tournament refereeing.
Who decides where the 2029 European Women’s Championship will be held?
The decision is up to UEFA’s 20-member Executive Committee, which will vote on Wednesday 3 December at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, at 17:00 CET. Slovenian UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin will announce the result. It is accompanied by 19 other members: 16 elected by the UEFA Conference, two appointed by the European Club Association (European Football Clubs) and one representing the European Leagues Association (European Leagues).
Since Germany is a candidate to host the 2029 European Women’s Football Championship, Germany’s representative on the Executive Committee, Hans-Joachim Watzke, will not be able to vote.
What is the proposal made by the German Football Association?
The nomination was submitted under the slogan “We are 29 – together we will rise.” According to the so-called Bid Book, the German Football Association’s bid guide, it is more than just a tournament: “Our aim is to create a championship that promotes women’s football in every corner of Europe, with world-class stadiums, extensive revenue streams and greater opportunities for knowledge exchange. We will not leave any country out.”
The matches will be held in eight German cities: Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Hannover, Wolfsburg and Leipzig.
The German Football Association promises to hold the first European Women’s Football Cup with economic benefits, and bases its optimism on expectations of selling more than a million tickets, and financial commitments from all stadiums and the German business sector.
This should please UEFA officials, as no women’s European tournament has yet generated profits.
At Euro 2025 in Switzerland, the UEFA deficit was estimated at approximately 35 million euros. In comparison, the men’s Euro 2024 tournament in Germany generated profits of 1.3 billion euros.
Who is competing with Germany for Euro 2029?
The pool of competitors has shrunk. Of the five initial candidates, only three remain. At the end of last August, Italy withdrew its candidacy without giving reasons.
Portugal announced its withdrawal on November 19, explaining that it wants to focus on the 2030 Men’s World Cup, which will be held on three continents with Morocco, Portugal and Spain as the main host country.
Therefore, the only contenders to host Euro 2029 are Poland and the joint nominations of Denmark and Sweden.
What are Germany’s chances of winning the place?
The prognosis is good. As the organizer of the UEFA Euro 2024 men’s soccer championship, which went off without a hitch, Germany will likely be well placed for major tournaments in the future. Moreover, in 2029, it will have been more than 25 years since the last Women’s European Championship was held in Germany. In 1989 and 2001, in addition to being the host country, this country also won the domestic championship.
However, the election is not guaranteed, as evidenced by FIFA’s vote in the spring of 2024 to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup: Germany, along with the Netherlands and Belgium, lost out to Brazil, which will be the first South American country to host the Women’s World Cup.
If Poland wins the place, it will be the first Eastern European country to host the Women’s European Championship. However, support for Poland in UEFA appears low.
Denmark and Sweden hope to be selected, although Sweden already hosted in 2013, and Germany has been waiting to host for many more years.
(os/cp)