Portugal has withdrawn its bid to host the 2029 Women’s European Championship, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced on Tuesday, saying it needs to channel all its energy into co-organising the 2030 Men’s World Cup with Spain and Morocco.
Portugal had been competing against Germany, Poland and a joint Denmark–Sweden bid for the right to host the tournament, with UEFA set to reveal the winner on December 3. But the FPF says the choice to step aside was made “in full alignment with UEFA” to ensure absolute focus on the World Cup project.
At the same meeting, the federation approved the creation of a new women’s football department, arguing that the next four years must be spent strengthening domestic women’s competitions and investing in clubs, coaches and players. The FPF also issued a unanimous vote of praise for the women’s national team after qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Portugal has taken part in three Women’s Euros so far – 2017 in the Netherlands, 2022 in England and 2025 in Switzerland.
