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FIFA has collaborated with Saudi Arabia to introduce a new series of men's international friendlies aimed at assisting lower-ranked teams in better preparing for potential participation in the World Cup.
The announcement made on February 26 revealed that the inaugural FIFA Series games next month will feature 20 teams. Among them, only four have ever qualified for a World Cup: Algeria, Bolivia, Bulgaria, and South Africa.
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Saudi Arabia's growing role in FIFA events
Saudi Arabia will host two of the four-team pools, scheduled to play from March 18 to 26. This initiative marks another instance of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and FIFA, following the successful staging of the seven-team Club World Cup in December. The confirmation of Saudi Arabia's hosting of the 2034 World Cup is expected later this year, with the nation being the only candidate in a vote by FIFA member federations.
Algeria, Azerbaijan, and Sri Lanka will also host pools where they will compete next month. Algeria, the winner of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, will host games featuring Bolivia, South Africa (a semifinalist in the Africa Cup this month), and the European team Andorra.
The FIFA Series initiative was unveiled during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. It aims to enhance the level of play in countries beyond the traditional powerhouses of European and South American soccer, thereby increasing competitiveness in the World Cup.
Throughout the history of the men's World Cup, European and South American teams have dominated, with only three teams from outside these continents ever reaching a semifinal: the United States in the inaugural 1930 tournament, South Korea in 2002, and Morocco in 2022.
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The 2026 World Cup, hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, will mark the first edition featuring 48 teams instead of 32, providing more opportunities for teams that have never qualified for a World Cup before.
In 2026, Africa will be allocated nine guaranteed spots at the World Cup, up from five, while the Asian Football Confederation will send at least eight teams instead of four. Additional berths can be earned through intercontinental playoffs.
The FIFA Series initiative aims to expedite the development of national teams that have limited exposure to international competition outside their own continent. Some teams will have their travel expenses covered by FIFA.
Windows of opportunity for teams: Kenny Jean-Marie
Kenny Jean-Marie, FIFA's chief member associations officer, mentioned that teams are being given ‘windows of opportunity’ to learn and improve by experiencing different styles of play.
“It could be an additional opportunity for member associations to travel to Saudi Arabia to play matches at their nice stadiums,” Jean-Marie said in an online briefing, “and for Saudi Arabia to gain international experience of hosting different friendlies.”
The Saudi-hosted pools next month will include teams that made it to the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup. Cape Verde will compete against Cambodia, Equatorial Guinea, and Guyana, while Guinea will face off against Bermuda, Brunei Darussalam, and Vanuatu.
Azerbaijan will host Bulgaria, Mongolia, and Tanzania, while Sri Lanka, ranked No. 204 among FIFA's 211 men's national teams, will host Bhutan, Central African Republic, and Papua New Guinea.
None of the three European teams participating in the first FIFA Series qualified for the 24-team Euro 2024, which is taking place in Germany.
The upcoming FIFA Series in March 2026 aims to involve more than 20 teams, with arrangements in place for higher-ranked teams to participate.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by PTI)
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