2026 FIFA Series (men's matches)
International football competition
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The 2026 FIFA Series was the second edition of the FIFA Series, an invitational association football tournament promoted by FIFA that features friendly matches between national teams from different continental confederations. The men's section of the 2026 edition featured nine different series (with three or four teams each) taking place across eight host countries during the FIFA window of 25–31 March.[5][6]
Azerbaijan
Indonesia
Kazakhstan
New Zealand
Puerto Rico
Rwanda
Uzbekistan
| |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host countries | Australia Azerbaijan Indonesia Kazakhstan New Zealand Puerto Rico Rwanda Uzbekistan |
| Dates | 25–31 March |
| Teams | 34 (from 6 confederations) |
| Venue | 11 (in 9 host cities) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Australia[1] Aruba[2] Azerbaijan[3] Bulgaria[4] Finland Kazakhstan Puerto Rico Rwanda Uzbekistan |
← 2024 2028 → | |
Background
Following the success of the pilot phase of the tournament, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the second edition for 2026 during the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand in May 2024.[7][8] On 18 October 2024, FIFA invited member associations to host and/or participate in the 2026 edition.[9] Member associations could apply to organize one or more four-team series (which could include their own national team) or to participate in a series in which they would contest two matches against opponents of the similar level and/or different continental confederations.[10]
Initially, nine host countries were announced, including Australia,[11] Azerbaijan,[12] Indonesia,[13] Kazakhstan,[14] Mauritius,[15] Puerto Rico,[16] Rwanda and Uzbekistan,[17][18] with New Zealand joining later.[19][20] However, Mauritius had to withdraw from organizing their series as their national team will have to compete in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification preliminary round during the same FIFA window in March 2026, so this series was moved to Rwanda,[21][22] which will host two series,[23] reducing the number of host countries to eight.
Participating teams
Originally, 36 teams (divided into nine four-team series) were scheduled to participate in this edition.[24] The number of teams was later reduced to 34 following the withdrawal of Oman and Kuwait due to extraordinary circumstances related to the 2026 Iran war, leaving the Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan series with only 3 teams each.[6][25]
- H = Hosts
| Series | Team | Confederation | FIFA Rankings January 2026[26] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australia (H) | AFC | 27 |
 Cameroon | CAF | 45 | |
 China | AFC | 93 | |
 Curaçao | CONCACAF | 81 | |
| Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan (H) | UEFA | 127 |
 Saint Lucia | CONCACAF | 167 | |
 Sierra Leone | CAF | 120 | |
| Indonesia | Bulgaria | UEFA | 87 |
 Indonesia (H) | AFC | 122 | |
 Saint Kitts & Nevis | CONCACAF | 154 | |
 Solomon Islands | OFC | 152 | |
| Kazakhstan |  Comoros | CAF | 106 |
| Kazakhstan (H) | UEFA | 114 | |
 Namibia | CAF | 118 | |
| New Zealand |  Cape Verde | CAF | 67 |
 Chile | CONMEBOL | 55 | |
| Finland | UEFA | 75 | |
 New Zealand (H) | OFC | 85 | |
| Puerto Rico |  American Samoa | OFC | 184 |
 Guam | AFC | 201 | |
| Puerto Rico (H) | CONCACAF | 156 | |
 U.S. Virgin Islands | CONCACAF | 207 | |
| Rwanda A |  Estonia | UEFA | 129 |
 Grenada | CONCACAF | 164 | |
 Kenya | CAF | 113 | |
| Rwanda (H) | CAF | 130 | |
| Rwanda B | Aruba | CONCACAF | 191 |
 Liechtenstein | UEFA | 205 | |
 Macau | AFC | 193 | |
 Tanzania | CAF | 110 | |
| Uzbekistan |  Gabon | CAF | 86 |
 Trinidad & Tobago | CONCACAF | 97 | |
| Uzbekistan (H) | AFC | 52 | |
 Venezuela | CONMEBOL | 50 |
By confederation
Venues
.svg)
| Country | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Sydney | Accor Stadium | 83,000 |
| Melbourne | AAMI Park | 30,500 | |
| Azerbaijan | Sumgait | Sumgayit City Stadium | 9,502 |
| Indonesia | Jakarta | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium | 77,193 |
| Kazakhstan | Astana | Astana Arena | 30,244 |
| New Zealand | Auckland | Eden Park | 50,000 |
| Puerto Rico | Bayamón | Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium | 12,500 |
| Rwanda | Kigali | Amahoro Stadium | 45,508 |
| Kigali Pelé Stadium | 7,000 | ||
| Uzbekistan | Tashkent | Bunyodkor Stadium | 34,800 |
| Pakhtakor Central Stadium | 35,000 |
Format
Given that the FIFA International Match Calendar of March 2026 allows only two matches per team,[27] each series will be played under one of the following two formats, as agreed upon by the participating member associations:[28][29]
- Pre-arranged fixtures, in which each team faces two of the other three teams in their series.
- A Final four format, with semi-finals and finals played in single-leg knockout matches.
In each series, regardless of the format, a winner will be declared. Any match that ends in a draw in regular time will be decided directly by a penalty shoot-out, with no extra time. In series using the pre-arranged fixtures format, a victory on penalties will award an additional point to the winner for the sole purpose of standings, with the draw remaining the official result of the match.[30]
Series
All times are local as listed by FIFA.[31][32][33] Each team's confederation is indicated in brackets.
Australia
The FIFA Series Australia took place in Sydney on 27 March 2026 and Melbourne on 31 March 2026. It involved the hosts Australia (AFC), China (AFC), Cameroon (CAF) and Curaçao (CONCACAF).[34]
| China | 2–0 | Curaçao |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Cameroon | 2–0 | China |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Azerbaijan
The FIFA Series Azerbaijan took place in Sumgait on 27 and 30 March 2026, and involved the hosts Azerbaijan (UEFA), Saint Lucia (CONCACAF) and Sierra Leone (CAF). Oman (AFC) was initially going to participate, but withdrew due to the 2026 Iran war, leading to a change in the series’ match schedule, with the hosts Azerbaijan facing Saint Lucia and Sierra Leone in just two matches instead of the four single-leg knockout matches originally scheduled.[35][36][37]
| Azerbaijan | 6–1 | Saint Lucia |
|---|---|---|
|
Report | Phillip  52' (pen.) |
| Azerbaijan | 1–1 | Sierra Leone |
|---|---|---|
| R. Mammadov 72' |
Report | D. Kanu 28' |
| Penalties | ||
| 9–8 | ||
Indonesia
The FIFA Series Indonesia took place in Jakarta, and involved the hosts Indonesia (AFC), Bulgaria (UEFA), Saint Kitts and Nevis (CONCACAF) and the Solomon Islands (OFC).[40][41][42]
Bracket
| Semi-finals | Final | |||||
| 27 March – Jakarta | ||||||
| Indonesia | 4 | |||||
| 30 March – Jakarta | ||||||
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 0 | |||||
| Indonesia | 0 | |||||
| 27 March – Jakarta | ||||||
| Bulgaria | 1 | |||||
| Solomon Islands | 2 | |||||
| Bulgaria | 10 | |||||
| Third place play-off | ||||||
| 30 March – Jakarta | ||||||
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 4 | |||||
| Solomon Islands | 2 | |||||
Semi-finals
Third place play-off
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 4–2 | Solomon Islands |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Final
Kazakhstan
The FIFA Series Kazakhstan took place in Astana from 25 March to 31 March 2026, and involved the hosts Kazakhstan (UEFA), Comoros (CAF) and Namibia (CAF). Kuwait (AFC) was initially going to participate, but withdrew due to the 2026 Iran war, leading to a change in the series’ match schedule, with only three round-robin matches instead of the four single-leg knockout matches originally scheduled.[44][45][46]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kazakhstan (H, C) |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| 2 | Namibia |
2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 2 |
| 3 | Comoros |
2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 1 |
| Kazakhstan | 2–0 | Namibia |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Kazakhstan | 1–0 | Comoros |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
New Zealand
The FIFA Series New Zealand took place in Auckland on 27 and 30 March 2026, and involved the hosts New Zealand (OFC), Cape Verde (CAF), Chile (CONMEBOL) and Finland (UEFA).[48] All fixtures will be the first international meeting between the sides,[49] except for New Zealand vs. Chile, who have faced each other four times previously (all friendlies), with three wins for the South Americans and one scoreless draw.[50]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finland (C) |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| 2 | New Zealand (H) |
2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Chile |
2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 3 |
| 4 | Cape Verde |
2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 2 |
| Chile | 4–2 | Cape Verde |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| New Zealand | 0–2 | Finland |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Puerto Rico
The FIFA Series Puerto Rico took place in Bayamón, and involved the hosts Puerto Rico (CONCACAF), American Samoa (OFC), Guam (AFC), and the U.S. Virgin Islands (CONCACAF).[16]
Bracket
| Semi-finals | Final | |||||
| 25 March – Bayamón | ||||||
| Puerto Rico | 4 | |||||
| 28 March – Bayamón | ||||||
| Guam | 0 | |||||
| Puerto Rico | 2 | |||||
| 25 March – Bayamón | ||||||
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 0 | |||||
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 5 | |||||
| American Samoa | 2 | |||||
| Third place play-off | ||||||
| 28 March – Bayamón | ||||||
| American Samoa | 0 | |||||
| Guam | 6 | |||||
Semi-finals
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 5–2 | American Samoa |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Mitchell 80' (pen.), 82' |
Third place play-off
Final
Rwanda A
The FIFA Series Rwanda A took place in Kigali, and involved the hosts Rwanda (CAF), Estonia (UEFA), Grenada (CONCACAF) and Kenya (CAF).[23][51]
Bracket
| Semi-finals | Final | |||||
| 27 March – Kigali (Amahoro) | ||||||
| Rwanda | 4 | |||||
| 30 March – Kigali (Amahoro) | ||||||
| Grenada | 0 | |||||
| Rwanda | 2 | |||||
| 27 March – Kigali (Amahoro) | ||||||
| Estonia | 0 | |||||
| Kenya | 1 (4) | |||||
| Estonia (p) | 1 (5) | |||||
| Third place play-off | ||||||
| 30 March – Kigali (Amahoro) | ||||||
| Grenada | 0 | |||||
| Kenya | 3 | |||||
Semi-finals
| Rwanda | 4–0 | Grenada |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Third place play-off
| Grenada | 0–3 | Kenya |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Final
| Rwanda | 2–0 | Estonia |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Rwanda B
The FIFA Series Rwanda B took place in Kigali, and involved Aruba (CONCACAF), Liechtenstein (UEFA), Macau (AFC), and Tanzania (CAF). Originally scheduled to take place in Mauritius, this series was moved to Rwanda after Mauritius withdrew from hosting it, with Tanzania replacing them in the matches.[53]
Bracket
| Semi-finals | Final | |||||
| 26 March – Kigali (Kigali Pelé) | ||||||
| Aruba | 4 | |||||
| 29 March – Kigali (Kigali Pelé) | ||||||
| Macau | 1 | |||||
| Aruba | 4 | |||||
| 26 March – Kigali (Kigali Pelé) | ||||||
| Liechtenstein | 1 | |||||
| Tanzania | 0 | |||||
| Liechtenstein | 1 | |||||
| Third place play-off | ||||||
| 29 March – Kigali (Kigali Pelé) | ||||||
| Macau | 0 | |||||
| Tanzania | 6 | |||||
Semi-finals
| Tanzania | 0–1 | Liechtenstein |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Sağlam 55' |
Third place play-off
Final
Uzbekistan
The FIFA Series Uzbekistan took place in Tashkent on 27 and 30 March 2026, and involved the hosts Uzbekistan (AFC), Gabon (CAF), Trinidad and Tobago (CONCACAF) and Venezuela (CONMEBOL).[54]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uzbekistan (H, C) |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 5 |
| 2 | Venezuela |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 4 |
| 3 | Gabon |
2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 2 |
| 4 | Trinidad and Tobago |
2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 |
| Venezuela | 4–1 | Trinidad and Tobago |
|---|---|---|
|
Report | Moore 52' |
| Uzbekistan | 3–1 | Gabon |
|---|---|---|
|
Report | Averlant 6' |
Summary
| Tournament | Champions | Runners-up | Third-place | Player of the tournament[55] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australia[1] |
Cameroon |
China |
Nestory Irankunda[56] |
| Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan[3] |
Sierra Leone[3] |
Saint Lucia[3] |
Elvin Cafarguliyev |
| Indonesia | Bulgaria[4] (2nd title) |
Indonesia[4] |
Saint Kitts and Nevis[4] |
Marin Petkov |
| Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan |
Namibia |
Comoros |
Islam Chesnokov[57] |
| New Zealand | Finland |
New Zealand |
Chile |
Naatan Skyttä |
| Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico |
U.S. Virgin Islands |
Guam |
Jeremy de León |
| Rwanda A | Rwanda |
Estonia |
Kenya |
Leroy-Jacques Mickels |
| Rwanda B | Aruba[2] |
Liechtenstein |
Tanzania[2] (2nd) |
Jaybrien Romano |
| Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan |
Venezuela |
Gabon |
Abdukodir Khusanov |
See also
Notes
- The kickoff of the Saint Kitts & Nevis v Solomon Islands match, originally scheduled for 15:30 local time, was delayed for 75 minutes due to a thunderstorm and unfavorable weather conditions.[43]
