Rwanda and Mauritius joins FIFA Series hosts

by Staff Reporter

Tuesday Nov 25, 2025. 15:00

Rwanda and Mauritius have not only been included, but are set to host fixtures during the March 2026 FIFA series.

This is according to an announcement released by the global football governing body.

The first edition of the international friendly series was hosted in March 2024, with the 2026 edition set to include more teams and hosts as well as a women’s iteration.

“FIFA has confirmed that the FIFA Series 2026™ will take place during the international match window in March and April next year, offering national teams from different continents a unique platform to compete and connect beyond their traditional confederation boundaries,” the statement reads.

The organisation stated that the expanded format would facilitate “more meaningful international matches” while contributing to further global development of the game.

“The FIFA Series™ is aligned with FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-2027, which focus on creating more opportunities for competitive balance, technical growth and cross-continental exchange. The format provides a pathway for national teams that rarely face opponents from other continents.”

“By connecting nations through competition, the FIFA Series aims to strengthen the game at every level – bringing local communities to the global stage,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan have all been named as host nations, though the governing body stated that more member associations may be announced as additional hosts in the coming months.

The FIFA Series could cause logistical and scheduling issues for both Rwanda and Mauritius, who are set to begin qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in March 2026, during the international window when the friendlies will take place.

By Nic Gleeson