- Islamabad (Sports News):
FIFA has confirmed the full line-up of hosts and the composition of the groups for the FIFA Series 2026™, marking a significant milestone in the continued expansion of the initiative for men’s and women’s national teams.
Following the announcement of the expanded format in November 2025, the FIFA Series 2026 will feature 48 national teams competing in 12 groups of four teams each during the international match window in March and April. With 48 participating teams – representing almost 25% of FIFA’s 211 Member Associations – nearly a quarter of the global football community will take part in the FIFA Series.
Eleven FIFA Member Associations will host the series of events, with Rwanda hosting two groups, bringing the total number of groups to 12. The initiative will include nine men’s groups and three women’s groups, with all six FIFA confederations represented, underlining the truly global nature of the FIFA Series™.
The confirmed hosts for the men’s groups are Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan. The women’s contests will take place in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire and Thailand.
Five men’s national teams participating in the FIFA Series 2026 – Australia, Cabo Verde, Curaçao, New Zealand and Uzbekistan – have also qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, further highlighting the competitive relevance of the initiative alongside its development objectives.
The FIFA Series also continues to support holistic football development off the pitch. Hosting and Participating Member Associations benefit from hands-on experience in event delivery, operational planning, referee development and competition organisation, mirroring the conditions of major international tournaments and strengthening capacity across multiple functional areas.
The FIFA Series 2026 remains fully aligned with FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-2027, providing national teams with opportunities for cross-confederation competition without adding fixtures to the international match calendar, while promoting technical growth, organisational development and global exchange.
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)
