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. Unlike the prior 2024 FIFA Series, this edition named the winners of each nine series as joint champions of the competition.
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. On 18 October 2024, FIFA invited member associations to host and/or participate in the 2026 edition. 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.
Initially, nine host countries were announced, including Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan, with New Zealand joining later. However, Mauritius had to withdraw from organizing their series as their national team had 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, which hosted two series, 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. 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.
H = Hosts
Series Team Confederation Australia (H)AFC27CAF45AFC93CONCACAF81Azerbaijan (H)UEFA127CONCACAF167CAF120IndonesiaUEFA87 (H)AFC122CONCACAF154OFC152KazakhstanCAF106 (H)UEFA114CAF118CAF67CONMEBOL55UEFA75 (H)OFC85Puerto RicoOFC184AFC201 (H)CONCACAF156CONCACAF207Rwanda AUEFA129CONCACAF164CAF113 (H)CAF130Rwanda BCONCACAF191UEFA205AFC193CAF110UzbekistanCAF86CONCACAF97 (H)AFC52CONMEBOL50
By confederation ConfederationNumber of teamsAFC6CAF9CONCACAF8CONMEBOL2OFC3UEFA6
Venues
+CountryCityStadiumCapacityAustraliaSydneyAccor Stadium83,000MelbourneAAMI Park30,500AzerbaijanSumgaitSumgayit City Stadium9,502IndonesiaJakartaGelora Bung Karno Stadium77,193KazakhstanAstanaAstana Arena30,244AucklandEden Park50,000Puerto RicoBayamón12,500RwandaKigaliAmahoro Stadium45,508Kigali Pelé Stadium7,000UzbekistanTashkentBunyodkor Stadium34,800Pakhtakor Central Stadium35,000
Format Given that the FIFA International Match Calendar of March 2026 allowed only two matches per team, each series was played under one of the following two formats, as agreed upon by the participating member associations:
Pre-arranged fixtures, in which each team faced 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 was declared. Any match that ended in a draw in regular time was decided directly by a penalty shoot-out, with no extra time. In series using the pre-arranged fixtures format, a victory on penalties awarded an additional point to the winner for the sole purpose of standings, with the draw remaining the official result of the match.
Series All times are local as listed by FIFA. 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).
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.
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).
Bracket
Semi-finals
Third place play-off
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.
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). All fixtures were the first international meeting between the sides, except for New Zealand vs Chile, who had faced each other four times previously (all friendlies), with three wins for the South Americans and one scoreless draw.
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).
Bracket
Semi-finals
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).
Bracket
Semi-finals
Third place play-off
Final
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.
Bracket
Semi-finals
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).
Summary + 2026 FIFA Series (men's) summary Tournament Champions Runners-up Third-place Player of the tournament Australia Nestory Irankunda Azerbaijan Elvin Cafarguliyev Indonesia Marin Petkov Kazakhstan Islam Chesnokov Naatan Skyttä Puerto Rico Jeremy de León Rwanda A Leroy-Jacques Mickels Rwanda B (2nd) Jaybrien Romano Uzbekistan Abdukodir Khusanov
See also 2026 FIFA Series (women's matches)
Notes
References
External links
FIFA Series fixtures at FIFA.com