VIBORG, DENMARK – SEPTEMBER 04: Action from the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier match between … [+]
After losing out to Switzerland to host the UEFA Women’s Euro in 2025, Nordic neighbors Denmark and Sweden have today declared their intention to bid to stage the 2029 tournament.
The two countries were part of an ultimately unsuccessful four-nation bid to host the tournament next year together with Finland and Norway. In the 13 previous editions of the tournament, no more than two countries had ever been elected as hosts of the women’s European Championship which began in 1984.
With it’s strong history of support for the women’s game, the four-nation Nordic bid was considered a favorite against rival bids from France, Poland and Switzerland. In the first ballot, they received four of the thirteen votes from the UEFA Executive Committee, the same number as Switzerland. However, with the least-voted for bid eliminated at the end of each ballot, they received no further backing with all transferred votes subsequently going to the Swiss.
It has been said that the four Nordic nations would have liked to have tried once more to host the 2029 finals but a report from the evaluation of the unsuccessful 2025 bid revealed “the probability of winning next time is much greater if only two countries stand as organisers. Logistics, avoiding long travel distances, facilities and an increased focus on sustainability – also in football – are significant arguments for this.”
Therefore after discussions this week during the UEFA Congress in Paris, the governing bodies of the game in Denmark (DBU) and Sweden (SvFF) have today expressed their interest in staging the 2029 tournament as co-hosts.
DBU’s chairman, Jesper Møller, and managing director, Erik Brøgger Rasmussen visited Olso to discuss their new strategy with their Norwegian counterparts highlighting what they believed as their increased likelihood of success this time.
Only once before in the history of the tournament have two nations co-hosted the finals. In 1997, Sweden cooperated with Norway to stage what was then an eight-team tournament. Since 2017, the finals of the UEFA Women’s Euro have involved sixteen qualifying nations.
Copenhagen, Denmark – June 24: Katrine Veje of Denmark during the Women’s International Friendly … [+]
Denmark hosted the fourth edition of the tournament, a four-team finals in 1991. They have already proposed the national Parken Stadion in Copenhagen, the 23,400-capacity Brøndby Stadium and at a new stadium in Aarhus as potential venues.
Sweden hosted the finals alone as recently in 2013, a 12-team tournament played in seven hosts cities – Gothenburg, Halmstad, Kalmar, Linköping, Norrköping, Solna and Växjö. The final between Germany and Norway at the Friends Arena in Solna, just outside Stockholm was attended by 41,301 people, an all-time record for the competition for nine years until the opening match of the UEFA Women’s Euro in England. On possible venues, the SvFF said they “have no information to share at this stage.”
SOLNA, SWEDEN – JULY 28: Teams presentation prior to the UEFA Women’s Euro 2013 Final between … [+]
Chairman of the SvFF Fredrik Reinfeldt said “with the experience and knowledge we have of international events, we are now looking forward to, together with our Danish colleagues, preparing an application for European Championship 2029. Women’s football continues to grow internationally and in Sweden both interest and practice are increasing. We look forward to creating new dreams for future generations in a championship together with Denmark.”
Møller added that “football for girls and women in Denmark and Europe is developing rapidly with increasing interest and more girls and women playing football. It was a huge disappointment that we were not allowed to hold a European Championship for women in 2025 together with our Nordic friends. Our national team will experience a big tournament at home. That is why we are now trying again in co-operation with Sweden. It has a far greater chance than if we wanted to be four countries again.”
“Together with our Swedish colleagues, we will create a final round with fantastic settings for everyone – for fans, coaches, volunteers, stakeholders, partners and UEFA. Now we have to start the hard work, where many details have to be put in place. We look forward to showing what Danish-Swedish hosting can offer.”
As yet, there is no timeline on the bidding criteria and process for the tournament but the DBU and SvFF expect the application process to begin later this year. At that point, Denmark and Sweden will decide whether to proceed with an actual bid.
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