A first for Switzerland. Meeting in Lisbon on the eve of the UEFA Congress, the UEFA Executive Committee awarded Switzerland the right to host the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro. Its file was not announced as the favorite, the prognosis being rather the joint bid of the four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden). But the Swiss project won the bid. The games will take place in eight cities (Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St. Gallen, Sion, Lucerne, Thun). The dates of the tournament have not yet been set, but it is expected to take place between June and July 2025. “Our main argument was to organize a tournament based on sustainable development and the circular economy, commented Dominique Blanc, president of the Swiss Football Federation. This is one of the last sporting events that a country the size of Switzerland can organize alone. There was also great public and political support. The ease of travel also played in our favor. Finally, women’s soccer is growing strongly in Switzerland.” The Swiss bid won in the third round of voting, with 9 votes against 4 for the Nordic project. France was eliminated in the first round, with only 1 vote. Poland disappeared at the end of the second round, collecting three votes. Reaction of Philippe Diallo, the interim president of the French Football Federation, quoted by AFP: “It is obviously a disappointment for us. We had a very good file but we did not manage to convince the members of the UEFA executive committee. The recent events probably did not help us. This has weighed on France’s international image, so it is up to us to restore it to give UEFA full confidence that France is once again capable of organizing major events. I think the Olympic Games in 2024 in Paris will be an opportunity to show France’s ability to host major international competitions and will help restore our image.“
