FIFA Unveils Full Schedule for FIFA Series 2026 Tournament

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Official Update

Feb 23, 2026 2 min read 17 views 1 shares

FIFA has announced the complete match schedule for the FIFA Series 2026™, an expanded international friendly competition featuring 48 national teams from all six football confederations.

The fixtures, released on Monday, will be played during the March and April 2026 international window.

The tournament will feature 12 groups of four teams, comprising nine men’s groups and three women’s groups, hosted across 11 FIFA Member Associations. Rwanda will host two groups, while other host nations include Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Thailand, and Uzbekistan.

All matches will count as official international friendlies and will be broadcast globally, offering teams valuable exposure, particularly those that rarely compete against opponents from other confederations.

FIFA stated that participating associations selected their preferred competition format within each group, either a semi-final and final system or pre-arranged fixtures. Regardless of format, each group will produce one winner.

To ensure decisive outcomes, any match ending in a draw will proceed directly to a penalty shoot-out without extra time.

The governing body said the 2026 edition builds on the success of the pilot tournament held in 2024 and follows confirmation of hosts and group allocations earlier this year.

According to FIFA, the initiative supports its broader objective of promoting global football development by creating meaningful competitive opportunities outside major events like the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™.

FIFA added that the series aims to strengthen sporting and cultural connections while increasing international visibility for emerging football nations.