Recommended US venues to co-host the 2027 Women's World Cup
The next five years are going to be the biggest in American soccer history. Numerous high-level international tournaments are coming to the United States. In 2024, the Copa America returns to these shores after eight years away. The revamped Club World Cup is coming the following year. However, the two biggest sporting events coming to the United States are the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
There is also a strong possibility that the 2027 Women’s World Cup will be here as well as Mexico. Hosting rights have not yet been awarded. US Soccer recently announced its intention to submit a bid. With that in mind, which stadiums should be the US venues at the 2027 Women’s World Cup?
In our opinion, the stadiums that the US should use for their official bid should geographically be spread across the country (and include cities that were passed over for the 2026 World Cup). Most of the stadiums should be ones with large capacities as the 1999 Women’s World Cup showed that filling up NFL stadiums can be done.
They should also have a few smaller, soccer-specific stadiums as well, which has been a recent precedent. Five of the ten venues at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand had capacities under 30,000 (three of those five were under 20,000) and six of the nine venues at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France were below 30,000 (with two of those six under 20,000).
So here, in our opinion, is a look at the best options for US venues at the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Best available venues for the 2027 Women’s World Cup
Camping World Stadium
City: Orlando, Florida
Capacity: 60,219
For events of this magnitude, it would be foolish not to have games in Florida. Orlando was not chosen as a host city for the 2026 World Cup (though they did host games at the 1994 World Cup and the 1996 Olympics) so getting Women’s World Cup games a year later would be met with enthusiasm. Additionally, Orlando is home to the Orlando Pride in the NWSL. They play at the soccer-specific Exploria Stadium (where they have averaged roughly 5,000 fans per game since the stadium opened in 2017).
Audi Field
City: Washington DC
Capacity: 20,000
Yes, it is a small soccer-specific stadium. But Washington DC was not chosen to host any games at the 2026 World Cup due to the poor state of FedEx Field. Frankly, it would be a travesty to have back-to-back summers with the nation’s capital not hosting games. Audi Field is home to the NWSL’s Washington Spirit and has hosted some big-time soccer games, including this year’s MLS All-Star Game.
Geodis Park
City: Nashville, Tennessee
Capacity: 30,109
Geodis Park is modern and is the soccer-specific stadium with the largest capacity in the US. Nashville has proven to be a great soccer town over the last six or seven years. Unfortunately, they were one of the last cities to miss the cut for 2026 World Cup duty. But the USWNT made an appearance in the Music City just this year and drew a great crowd. The USMNT is also due to make an appearance in October against Ghana. Nashville should get Women’s World Cup games.
Soldier Field
City: Chicago, Illinois
Capacity: 61,500
This one should be obvious. Chicago is a massive market. Soldier Field has hosted numerous soccer games over the years including both 1994 World Cup and 1999 Women’s World Cup games. Most recently, however, it was not even part of the bid for the 2026 World Cup so there would be an appetite for high-level international soccer. Plus, Soldier Field has a grass surface so drastic field changes would not be necessary.
Lincoln Financial Field
City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Capacity: 67,594
Philly has proven itself to be a town quite capable of hosting high-level international soccer events. It is one of the eleven US venues for the World Cup in 2026. CONCACAF Gold Cup games have been held there four times: 2009, 2015, 2017, and 2019. It also played host to games at the Copa America Centenario in 2016. And most appropriate for this discussion, was one of the host venues at the 2003 Women’s World Cup. Its grass surface would mean less work to get the stadium ready as well.
MetLife Stadium
City: East Rutherford, New Jersey
Capacity: 82,500
A “no-brainer.” It is New York (yes even though the stadium is over in New Jersey). New York City is the number one media market in the US and will be hosting games at the 2026 World Cup as they did at the 1994 World Cup, the 1999 Women’s World Cup, and the 2016 Copa America Centenario. While neither of the two MLS teams nor the NWSL team is particularly well-attended, New York is a lock to get games.
State Farm Stadium
City: Glendale, Arizona
Capacity: 72,200
Being an NFL venue with a grass field helps the Phoenix suburb’s case for being a Women’s World Cup host venue in 2027. The United States passed on State Farm Stadium as a World Cup 2026 host. It was not even part of the bid to host the World Cup. However, the home of the Arizona Cardinals hosted six Gold Cup games. In 2016, the stadium hosts three games for the Copa America Centenario. Additionally, the USMNT has played there six times with an average attendance of 39,624 while the USWNT has played there three times with an average attendance of 16,373.
Rose Bowl
City: Pasadena, California
Capacity: 92,542
There is some debate here. The Los Angeles area will be getting Women’s World Cup games in 2027. But will they be at the Rose Bowl or the newest, shiniest, and most expensive NFL stadium, SoFi Stadium? SoFi Stadium hosted this year’s Gold Cup Final. For the 2026 World Cup, it is Los Angeles’s host location. On the flip side, the Rose Bowl has a greater capacity and was the site of two previous World Cup Finals. The 1994 men’s World Cup saw Brazil win its fourth title. Then, five years later, the 1999 Women’s World Cup wrapped up dramatically at the Rose Bowl. Moreover, the Rose Bowl is likely to host the gold medal game for women’s soccer at the 2028 LA Olympics.
Levi’s Stadium
City: Santa Clara, California
Capacity: 68,500
The Bay Area has a huge soccer following. The USWNT just played at Avaya Stadium in July and sold it out. Levi’s Stadium was also the site of four games at the 2016 Copa America Centenario and will be one of the eleven US venues at the World Cup in 2026. It too has a grass field which means less work for ground crews to prepare for hosting Women’s World Cup games. The Bay Area has also previously hosted Women’s World Cup games at nearby Stanford Stadium back in 1999.
Providence Park
City: Portland, Oregon
Capacity: 25,218
Providence Park is another smaller, soccer-specific stadium but it is a special place. Portland is one of the best soccer cities in America (despite the USMNT not playing there since 2013 and the USWNT not playing there since 2012). Both the Timbers in MLS and the Thorns in the NWSL sell out every home game. But arguably the biggest reason Providence Park should be one of the US venues at the 2027 Women’s World Cup is that it would be the first stadium in history to host games at three different Women’s World Cup tournaments, hosting four games in 1999 and six games in 2003.
Lumen Field
City: Seattle, Washington
Capacity: 68,740
Much like Portland, Seattle is a great soccer town despite appearances from the USMNT and USWNT being few and far between. The Sounders in MLS were for years the gold standard of American soccer support. Their NWSL side, OL Reign, plays at Lumen Field as well and this year is averaging 7,815 fans per game. Seattle is also no stranger to hosting high-level international tournaments as they were one of the venues for the 2016 Copa America Centenario and will be one of the venues for the 2026 World Cup.
What US Soccer and the bid committee ultimately decided to do is still up in the air. They could choose to go with all NFL stadiums. They could opt for a hybrid of NFL stadiums and MLS stadiums. It is also possible they use both NFL and MLS venues for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Yet, they could be different than the ones on this list. If the United States scores the co-hosting rights to the 2027 Women’s World Cup, it ensures one thing. The next five years will be loads of fun for American soccer fans.