The world football governing body, FIFA, has released the complete match schedule for the expanded FIFA Series 2026, setting the stage for a landmark international friendly tournament involving 48 national teams.

The fixtures, published on FIFA’s official website on Monday, will be played during the March and April 2026 international match window.

The 2026 edition will feature 12 groups of four teams each, nine men’s groups and three women’s groups, bringing together countries from all six continental confederations.

In a significant boost for African football, Rwanda will host two groups, while 10 other FIFA Member Associations will stage the remaining fixtures. The host nations are:

Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Thailand, Uzbekistan.

The global spread of host countries underscores FIFA’s drive to widen football’s competitive reach beyond traditional powerhouses.

No Extra time, Penalties To Decide Draws

All matches in the tournament have been designated as official international friendlies and will be broadcast globally, offering fans worldwide the opportunity to follow the action.

To ensure decisive outcomes, FIFA confirmed that any match ending in a draw after regulation time will proceed directly to a penalty shoot-out, with no provision for extra time.

Participating Member Associations were allowed to select their preferred competition format within each group. According to FIFA, groups may adopt either a semi-final and final structure or a series of pre-arranged fixtures.

Regardless of format, one team will emerge as the winner in each group.

FIFA stated that the 2026 schedule builds on the success of the pilot edition staged in 2024 and follows the confirmation of hosts and group compositions in January 2026.

The governing body described the initiative as part of its broader strategy to promote equitable development of football worldwide, particularly by creating meaningful competitive opportunities outside major global tournaments such as the forthcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.

“The FIFA Series™ continues to deliver on our commitment to inclusive football development,” FIFA said in its announcement.

“By bringing teams from different confederations together in competitive settings, we are strengthening the sporting and cultural fabric of the game while giving emerging nations greater visibility on the international stage.”

The tournament offers smaller and developing football nations rare exposure to cross-confederation opposition, a privilege often limited to major competitions.

With global broadcast coverage guaranteed, participating teams are also expected to benefit from increased visibility, commercial opportunities, and valuable match experience ahead of continental qualifiers and international tournaments.

The complete match schedule, including specific dates, venues, and kick-off times, is shown below as made available on FIFA’s official platforms