Sydney Opera House is lit in celebration of Australia and New Zealand's joint bid to host the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, in Sydney on June 25, 2020. (PETER PARKS / AFP)

PARIS - Australia and New Zealand will co-host the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, beating Colombia 22-13 in a vote by FIFA's ruling council on Thursday.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino suggested that the women's tournament could be staged every two years and is keen for South America and Africa to stage it

Since Brazil and Japan withdrew the race earlier in June, the vote on Thursday became a one-on-one battle.

The combined bid was initially regarded as the favorite since it earned a superior score from FIFA's technical evaluation of the bids, 4.1 out of five, far more than that of Colombia which was only 2.8.

The World Cup is scheduled to take place from July to August 2023.

It will be the first time that the Women's World Cup to be held in two countries from different confederations and the 2023 version will also be the first in the tournament's history that will feature 32 teams, eight more than the previous editions.

"The bidding process was highly competitive. We would like to thank both of the bidders for their remarkable work. It was really, really well prepared," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

The vote was split along continental lines as Europe joining South America in voting for Colombia, which Infantino said he was "surprised" by UEFA members' decisions.

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However, UEFA said its members' vote for Colombia as it "represented a strategic opportunity for the development of women's football in South America".

Infantino suggested that the women's tournament could be staged every two years and is keen for South America and Africa to stage it.

A funding boost for the sport is also announced on Thursday.

"We have decided to award US$1billion to the development of women's football in the coming four years," Infantino said.

"We experienced last year in France a fantastic Women's World Cup. It broke all records. It brought women's football to a truly global stage."

In the 2019 Women's World Cup, the United States beat the Netherlands 2-0 in the final to win the title for a record fourth time.