FIFA has officially announced the complete fixture list for the FIFA Series 2026™, its revamped international football tournament featuring 48 national teams spanning all six confederations. The matches are slated for the March and April 2026 international window, promising fans a global football spectacle.
The competition will see twelve groups of four teams each—nine men’s groups and three women’s groups—hosted across 11 FIFA Member Associations. Rwanda will welcome two groups, while other hosts include Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Thailand, and Uzbekistan.
All encounters are recognized as official international friendlies, ensuring global broadcast coverage and providing participating teams, particularly those with limited exposure to inter-confederation play, invaluable competitive experience.
FIFA confirmed that each Member Association has selected its preferred format for group play, either following a semi-final and final setup or a pre-arranged series of fixtures. In every scenario, a group winner will be determined. Notably, any match ending in a draw will immediately proceed to a penalty shoot-out, foregoing extra time, to guarantee decisive results.
The 2026 schedule builds upon the success of the pilot edition in 2024 and follows the confirmation of hosts and group allocations earlier this year. FIFA emphasized that the tournament is central to its long-term strategy of promoting global football development outside major competitions like the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™.
“The FIFA Series™ is a vital step toward inclusive football growth,” FIFA stated. “Uniting teams from different confederations in competitive matches enhances the sporting and cultural dimensions of the game and provides emerging nations with greater international visibility.”
Fans can access the full match schedule, including dates, venues, and kick-off times, directly on FIFA’s official website.
