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FIFA has officially confirmed that the expanded FIFA Series 2026™ will be staged across the March and April international windows next year, offering men’s and women’s national teams an unprecedented platform to compete across continents.
The FIFA Series, originally known as FIFA World Series, is a biennial invitational football tournament promoted by FIFA that features international friendlies between national teams from different confederations, taking place in March of every even-numbered year. The first edition was held in March 2024.
The second edition of the initiative builds on the success of the 2024 pilot and will, for the first time, feature a full women’s programme as part of FIFA’s drive to create more meaningful international match-ups.
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino was responding to a recent claim by US President Barack Obama that decisions on who hosts the Olympics and World Cups are corrupt
The expansion aligns with FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023–2027, which emphasise competitive balance, global football development, and increased opportunities for cross-continental competition.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the initiative is designed to accelerate development across all levels of the sport.
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The FIFA Series is about unlocking development potential for players, coaches and fans, while promoting football’s universality and diversity through meaningful matches. The 2026 edition will further enhance that impact for men’s and women’s football alike.
Infantino said, on his Instagram page.
He added that,
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By connecting nations through competition, the FIFA Series aims to strengthen the game at every level - bringing local communities to the global stage.
Next year’s men’s edition will be played in Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan, with FIFA noting that discussions are ongoing with additional member associations that may join as hosts.
The women’s FIFA Series will make its debut with events in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire and Thailand, with the full list of participating nations to be confirmed in early 2026.
Each group within the FIFA Series will bring together national teams from different confederations for friendly matches that do not add extra fixtures to the international calendar but are intended to offer competitive, development-focused exposure.
FIFA believes this cross-continental approach will give emerging football nations access to new tactical styles, commercial visibility, and cultural exchange.
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Approved by the FIFA Council in December 2022, the platform also allows developing football nations to experience international competition under conditions similar to major tournaments—an approach FIFA says will help strengthen both technical and organisational capacity.