FIFA Series 26 schedule drops, key World Cup warm-up dates Set
FIFA has released the official match schedule for the FIFA Series 2026, with fixtures set to be played during the March and April international window.
The expanded initiative will feature 48 national teams from across all six FIFA confederations, combining both men’s and women’s competitions. Eleven FIFA Member Associations will host the matches, with Rwanda staging two groups as part of the programme.
The FIFA Series will play a key role in the lead-up to June’s FIFA World Cup for some teams, including Australia, New Zealand, Cape Verde, Curacao and Uzbekistan.
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Designed to support global football development, the FIFA Series creates structured friendly competitions between national teams that would not typically face one another. Nine groups will involve men’s national teams, while three groups will feature women’s sides.
Although all matches are classified as international friendlies, participating associations have adopted varied formats, including semi-finals and finals or pre-arranged fixtures. Drawn matches will proceed directly to penalty shoot-outs, with no extra time played.
All FIFA Series 2026 matches will be broadcast globally, increasing visibility for participating nations and providing wider access for fans worldwide.
Sports betting sites will feature markets on these FIFA Series clashes when they draw closer, and teams are confirmed, although the team’s competting in the World Cup are all likely to field strong line-ups.
FIFA Series 26 teams competing at FIFA World Cup
The Socceroos will clash with Cameroon on March 27 at Accor Stadium in Sydney, before heading to Melbourne to play Curacao on March 31 at AAMI Park. Curacao’s first match is on March 27 against China in Sydney.
New Zealand’s World Cup campaign will ramp up with matches against Finland on March 27 and Chile on March 30, with both to be played in Auckland. Cape Verde is in this same group, with matches against Chile (March 27) Finland (March 30).
Uzbekistan will open their FIFA Series 26 with a clash against Gabon on March 27, before playing Venezuela on March 30, with these to be played at Bunyodkor Stadium and Pakhtakor Stadium.
