Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has confirmed host nations and group compositions for the expanded FIFA Series 2026, featuring 48 national teams from six confederations.
The FIFA Series 2026 will be the second edition of the FIFA Series: an invitational football competition promoted by FIFA featuring friendly matches between national teams from different confederations. The 2026 edition marks a significant expansion of the tournament. Previously run as a trial format, the competition has been expanded to 12 groups (nine men’s and three women’s), competing during the international window (FIFA Matchday) in March and April 2026.
On Monday, the 19th of January, FIFA officially announced the full list of host nations and group compositions for the FIFA Series 2026. A total of 48 national teams from six confederations will participate. The confirmed hosts for the men’s groups are Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan. The women’s groups will be hosted by Brazil, Ivory Coast and Thailand. In total, 11 countries will host matches, with Rwanda hosting two groups.
The Indonesian national team, in particular, will face three teams from different confederations: Bulgaria (UEFA), Solomon Islands (OFC) and Saint Kitts and Nevis (CONCACAF).
After the conclusion of the FIFA Series 2026, FIFA will release the latest FIFA rankings on the 1st of April. Should they win the competition, the Indonesian national team could climb five places in the world rankings, from 122nd to 117th.
The following is the list of hosts and participating groups for the FIFA Series 2026:
Men’s Groups
- Australia (host), Cameroon, China and Curaçao;
- Azerbaijan (host), Oman, Sierra Leone and Saint Kitts and Nevis;
- Indonesia (host), Bulgaria, Solomon Islands and Saint Kitts and Nevis;
- Kazakhstan (host), Comoros, Kuwait and Namibia;
- New Zealand (host), Cape Verde, Chile and Finland;
- Puerto Rico (host), American Samoa, Guam and the US Virgin Islands;
- Rwanda (host – Group A), Estonia, Grenada and Kenya;
- Rwanda (host – Group B), Aruba, Liechtenstein, Macau and Tanzania;
- Uzbekistan (host), Trinidad and Tobago, Gabon and Venezuela.
Women’s Groups
- Brazil (host), Canada, South Korea and Zambia;
- Ivory Coast (host), Mauritania, Pakistan and the Turks and Caicos Islands;
- Thailand (host), the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the OFC team.