Switzerland has won the right to host the Euro-2025 women’s tournament, UEFA announced after its board meeting in Lisbon on Tuesday.

The bid was favored over France, a quartet made up of the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) and Poland, which hosted the European Championship in 2022 and took over from the winning England.

According to the statement made by the Swiss Football Federation, 16 countries will participate in the match, which will be held in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St Gallen, Sion, Lucerne and Thun in June and July 2025.

Unlike Norway (1987, 1997 with Sweden), Denmark (1991), Finland (2009) and Sweden (2013), it has never hosted a European Women’s Championship on its territory.

a strategic decision

The four Scandinavian countries — where women’s football is very popular— Switzerland, which was expected to host the competition, undoubtedly benefited from its central location on the continent.

“Our tournament should also be a four-week celebration for neighboring countries, thanks to our location in the heart of all Switzerland and Europe.” expressionMarion Daube, head of women’s football of the Swiss Football Association and head of the tender project.

The French host of the 2019 Women’s World Cup may have suffered from the debacle of the Champions League final played at the Stade de France in May 2022, as well as the crisis in the French Football Federation. Resignation of President Noel Le Graëtand the sacking of coach Corinne Diacre, who had been publicly let down by a number of top players, by the psychodrama in Les Bleues.