Brazil has withdrawn its bid to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said the government did not consider it wise to offer financial guarantees in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Brazil will now support Colombia’s proposal, which is up against Japan and a joint bid from Australia and New Zealand to host the 32-team tournament.
Fifa will vote to select the hosts on 25 June.
“Because of the fiscal and economic austerity brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, [the government] thought it would not be recommended to right now sign the guarantees asked for by Fifa,” said a CBF statement.
Brazil has hosted a number of major international sporting competitions in recent years, including the men’s World Cup in 2014, the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Copa America in 2019. But the CBF felt it was an outsider to host yet another big event.
The country has been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than 35,000 deaths and in excess of 640,000 confirmed infections, but the latter number is believed to be much higher because of insufficient testing.
Source: bbc
