Indonesia and Thailand officially host FIFA Series 2026.
FIFA has confirmed that Indonesia and Thailand will host the FIFA Series 2026, to be held in March-April 2026; this will provide an opportunity for the national teams to gain experience before the ASEAN Cup 2026 and to promote their respective teams.
FIFA has confirmed that Indonesia and Thailand will host the FIFA Series 2026 in their respective categories. This large-scale friendly tournament is scheduled to take place in March and April of next year (2026), providing a platform for national teams to gain international experience ahead of important goals.
Host countries
In the men's event, Indonesia is among the eight host nations, along with Australia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, and Uzbekistan.
In the women's competition, Thailand is competing alongside Brazil and Ivory Coast.
Summary table of homeowners by content
| Content | Host |
|---|---|
| Male | Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Uzbekistan |
| Female | Thailand, Brazil, Ivory Coast |
Significance for the region
Hosting the tournament helps Indonesia and Thailand promote their national image and provides an opportunity for their teams to compete against top football nations around the world. This is also seen as an important preparation step towards the ASEAN Cup 2026.
Notable statement
Indonesian Football Federation President Erick Thohir stated:"Indonesia has officially been awarded the right to host the FIFA Series next year. Once again, we have been given the right to host an official FIFA tournament.", he emphasized.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized the core objective of the event:"By connecting nations through football, the FIFA Series aims to strengthen the role of football at all levels and promote it within local communities.".
Schedule and invitation procedures
FIFA will send invitations to each federation and finalize the list of participating teams in early 2026. Due to a scheduling conflict with the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, it is almost certain that Vietnam will not participate.
Highlights of the FIFA Series 2024
The FIFA Series, first held in 2024, featured 24 teams from various federations, with no selection criteria applied. The diverse lineup, ranging from Croatia and Egypt to Bhutan, led to the tournament being described as a "miniature World Cup".
Despite being a friendly tournament, many matches in 2024 attracted 40,000-50,000 spectators. The success in terms of both professional standards and audience turnout is the basis for FIFA to expand and reorganize the tournament in 2026 for both men's and women's football.
Impact
- An opportunity to elevate the image of Indonesian and Thai football on the international stage.
- Increased exposure to strong opponents will help prepare for the ASEAN Cup 2026.
- The March-April 2026 schedule allows teams to integrate into FIFA Days, optimizing their peak performance timing.
