Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, a deputy of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to the National People's Congress. Photo: VCG

Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, a deputy of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to the National People's Congress, has proposed a joint bid from mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao for the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region is scheduled to host the National Games in 2025, providing anticipated high-quality infrastructure for the operation of future sports events.

The 2023 Women's World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, providing a successful example of co-hosting a tournament. FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed that the 2023 Women's World Cup generated $570 million in revenue.

"The Chinese Women's Super League has been established for over two decades, and women's football has accumulated a significant talent pool," Fok said in his proposal. "Moreover, China has previously hosted the Women's World Cup in 1991 and 2007, demonstrating rich experience in organizing such events."

The mainland's sports authority released a plan in 2022, stating that they will "actively bid" for the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The inaugural Women's World Cup was held in 1991 in the mainland, with only four cities in South China's Guangdong Province hosting all the games from 12 teams. Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, hosted the final between the US and Norway.

In 2007, the mainland hosted the women's football world championship once again, with a final held in Shanghai. Other host cities for the then 16-team competition were Tianjin, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Hangzhou.

"Sports have significant symbolic importance for social development and human progress, while also showcasing our country's comprehensive strength and social civilization to the world," Fok said.

The best result for the women's team representing the mainland is a runners-up finish in 1999, earning them the nickname "Steel Roses." The country has introduced policies in recent years to strengthen the development of women's football, aiming to relaunch the team into the world's top level.