FIFA has unveiled the full match schedule for the expanded FIFA Series 2026, featuring 48 national teams across 12 groups during the March and April international window.
FIFA has released the full match schedule for the FIFA Series 2026™, the expanded edition of its international friendly competition bringing together 48 national teams from all six confederations. The fixtures, published on FIFA’s website on Monday, are slated for the March and April 2026 international match window.
The tournament will feature 12 groups of four teams each—nine men’s groups and three women’s groups—hosted by 11 Member Associations. Rwanda will stage two groups, while other hosts include Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Thailand and Uzbekistan. All matches will be recognised as official international friendlies and broadcast globally.
According to FIFA, participating associations selected their preferred competition formats within each group, either adopting a semi-final and final structure or arranging a series of fixtures, with one team emerging as group winner in all cases. Any match ending in a draw will proceed directly to a penalty shoot-out without extra time. The governing body said the schedule builds on the successful pilot edition held in 2024 and forms part of its broader development strategy ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™. “The FIFA Series™ continues to deliver on our commitment to inclusive football development. By bringing teams from different confederations together in competitive settings, we are strengthening the sporting and cultural fabric of the game while giving emerging nations greater visibility on the international stage,” FIFA said in its announcement.