FIFA Announces Expanded FIFA Series 2026 Line-up
The expanded invitational tournament will involve 48 national teams competing in 12 groups of four teams
Posted On: January 22, 2026 By :FIFA has confirmed the full line-up of hosts and the composition of the groups for the FIFA Series 2026, which includes both men’s and women’s national teams.
The competition will feature 48 national teams for the first time, and they will compete in 12 groups of four teams each during the international match window in March and April. The expanded format was officially confirmed in November.
Eleven FIFA Member Associations will host the Series, including Rwanda which will host two groups. Overall, nine men’s groups and three women’s groups representing all six of the FIFA confederations will participate.
Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan have been confirmed as hosts for men’s groups, while the women’s matchups will take place in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire and Thailand.
The FIFA Series 2026 represents the second edition of the invitational tournament, which has been promoted by FIFA to broadcast friendly matches between national teams from different continental confederations. It is also designed to support the development of different organizations around the world and to provide a platform for national teams to compete beyond their traditional confederation boundaries, without adding fixtures to the international match calendar.
A pilot edition was held during the March 2024 international match window and involved 24 FIFA Member Associations playing in five locations across three continents. Future FIFA Series competitions are scheduled to take place every two years.
Men’s Groups
Australia (AFC)
- Australia (Host)
- Cameroon
- China PR
- Curaçao
Azerbaijan (UEFA)
- Azerbaijan (Host)
- Oman
- Sierra Leone
- St Lucia
Indonesia (AFC)
- Bulgaria
- Indonesia (Host)
- Solomon Islands
- St Kitts and Nevis
Kazakhstan (UEFA)
- Comoros
- Kazakhstan (Host)
- Kuwait
- Namibia
New Zealand (OFC)
- Cabo Verde
- Chile
- Finland
- New Zealand (Host)
Puerto Rico (Concacaf)
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Puerto Rico (Host)
- US Virgin Islands
Rwanda (CAF) – Group A
- Estonia
- Grenada
- Kenya
- Rwanda (Host)
Rwanda (CAF) – Group B
- Aruba
- Liechtenstein
- Macau
- Tanzania
Uzbekistan (AFC)
- Gabon
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uzbekistan (Host)
- Venezuela
Women’s Groups
Brazil (CONMEBOL)
- Brazil (Host)
- Canada
- Korea Republic
- Zambia
Côte d’Ivoire (CAF)
- Côte d’Ivoire (Host)
- Mauritania
- Pakistan
- Turks and Caicos Islands
Thailand (AFC)
- Congo DR
- Nepal
- OFC team
- Thailand (Host)
Match schedules for all FIFA Series 2026 events are set to be announced in due course.
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