South Africa will bid for the rights to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the country’s FA (SAFA) has confirmed.

The tournament has never been hosted on African soil since its inception in 1991.

SAFA Chief Executive Officer Tebogo Motlanthe told BBC Sport that the association will inform FIFA about their bid.

“The NEC (National Executive Committee) has resolved that we must bid to host the World Cup for women in 2027,” Motlanthe said.

“We as [an] administration will duly inform FIFA and then start the process of hosting the World Cup.”

The Southern African country, who became the first country on the continent to host the men’s World Cup in 2010, will, however, face stiff competition from from a joint bid of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

The United States of America have also indicated a desire to bid for either the 2027 or 2031 World Cups.

A joint Scandinavian bid was once floated, but with Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden bidding together to host the 2025 European Championship, the continental tournament could take precedence.

Meanwhile, next year’s World Cup will take place in Australia and New Zealand and it will be the first finals with 32 teams, an increase of eight teams from France 2019.