Government announces plans to bring the Women's World Cup, Tour de France, Rugby World Cup and World Athletics Championships to Britain in the next decade.

• UK Sport has confirmed that it wants to organize 70 events over the next 15 years

The UK is planning to bid to host the Women's World Cup for the first time in the 2030s.

UK Sport, the government agency responsible for major sporting events, has confirmed that the tournament is one of 70 events it wants to hold in this country over the next 15 years.

Other “ambitious hosting goals” include the Rugby World Cup, the Ryder Cup, the World Championships in Athletics and the Tour de France.

But there are no plans to host the men's World Cup, Olympics or Commonwealth Games before 2040.

UK Sport claims the Women's World Cup is “the biggest sporting event the UK has ever hosted” and a bid could be made for the 2031 tournament.

A feasibility study will be launched after FIFA makes its decision on the host country for the 2027 World Cup in May. If the 2027 edition moves to a joint European bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands – who face Brazil and Mexico/USA – the UK will target 2035 or 2039 instead.

A Senior World Cup has not been held on these shores since 1966, but Britain could face competition from Saudi Arabia, with UK Sport admitting that “our international rivals are catching up”.

“The Women’s World Cup is the biggest sporting event the UK has ever hosted, so it has a special appeal for us,” admitted Simon Morton, UK sporting events director. “There is certainly an ambition to host it in the 2030s.

“But we have to respect the fact that there are other countries interested in hosting it, and that's why you see somewhat of an open position,” he added.

He added: “What is clear is that plans to host major events in the UK are shrinking, and our international competitors are catching up, so we need to respond.”

“Live sport is an essential part of the social fabric of this country. No other country buys more tickets per capita to major sporting events than we do in the UK.

“In the coming years, we want to host a program of live sport that resonates with British audiences and makes a difference to the lives of millions of people.”

Of all the future events the UK is considering bidding for, the 2029 World Athletics Championships at London Stadium is the furthest down the road, with a feasibility study already underway.

UK Athletics chief executive Jack Buckner admitted: “We would love to have another crack at the World Championships.

“We can't say for sure it will be London, but it will be in our minds given the success it had in 2017.”

England is already hosting the Women's Rugby World Cup next year, but UK Sport wants to stage the men's tournament again in 2035 or 2039, which would be the first time since 2015.

The Ryder Cup has not been held in Britain since it was held at Gleneagles in 2014, but it may return in 2031 or 2035, with the possibility of the Solheim Cup being held in 2030.

UK Sport is also looking to bring the Tour de France back to these shores in 2027 following the success of the Grand Depart in Yorkshire in 2014.

Besides the “traditional power” events, the governing body will target urban competitions and e-sports “to engage the widest possible group of sports fans.”

But they are not planning to bid to host the Commonwealth Games, which is still searching for hosts for 2026 and 2030.

“Our challenge when thinking about future Commonwealth Games is simply value for money,” Morton added.

“We have had an open dialogue with the Commonwealth Games Federation, but until there is more clarity on what a sustainable Commonwealth Games model looks like in the future, it will not appear on our list.”