Women's WC Could Boost Northern Ireland Economy by 120 Million Pound

• Belfast is chosen to be one of the hosting cities for the 2035 Women’s FIFA World Cup
• The potential economic boost for Northern Ireland is £120 million
• The joint bid is backed by the F.A., Irish F.A., Scottish F.A., and F.A.Wales

The choice of Belfast as a host city for the 2035 Women’s FIFA World Cup has the potential to contribute an additional boost to the Northern Ireland economy of approximately £120m, according to the recent property conference.

The Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park is included in the list of 22 venues as part of a joint bid by the FA, Irish FA, Scottish FA, plus the FA of Wales, bidding for the tournament to be held there as early as 2035.

However, the present capacity of only 18,500 needs to be at least raised to 20,000 before the stadium can be included among the last 16 venues chosen by FIFA from all bids.

As reported at the "Real Estate and Sports-Led Regeneration" event, which was hosted by the property agency CBRE at the ICC Belfast and addressed 500 delegates, the region could apparently be poised for an economic "windfall" that could vary between 70 and 120 million, depending upon the number and "profile" of matches that are played at Windsor Park, figures that have apparently emerged as a result of analysis undertaken by James Hamilton, the global lead for entertainment and host cities at Turner & Townsend.

Hamilton’s argument is that for sports-led regeneration to actually work and harness the demographic and physical changes in an area properly, a national sports venue strategy that can tie in and support urban regeneration aims will require a feasibility study and a proper funding plan going in.

Hamilton also explains that sports venues are also built to enrich or improve the spectator’s and sporting competitor’s experience by providing proper connectivity and community benefits.

He went on to say that, “Ambition without practical planning could result in potential risks. Opportunities such as the Rugby World Cup and the Tour de France are possibilities for Northern Ireland and will have to be evaluated as such. When it is successfully executed, it could accelerate the regeneration and create a lasting event that continues to be valuable for the longer term.”

Additionally, the conference had Becky Stormer, who is the Head of Sports Sector for the UK at CBRE. Additionally, Becky is a semi-professional footballer for Fulham Women's football club, which competes at the Fourth Tier of Women’s Football.