March 26 fixtures Rwanda B Aruba vs Macau — 13:30 CAT Tanzania vs Liechtenstein — 16:30 CAT Venue: Kigali Pelé Stadium Rwanda is set to host a week of international football action as the FIFA Series 2026 returns, bringing together teams from across different continents for competitive matches in Kigali. The East African nation was the only country picked to host two groups from March 26-31. For Rwanda, hosting the Series presents another opportunity to showcase its growing reputation as a destination for major sporting events, while giving local fans a rare chance to watch diverse international opposition on home soil. What is FIFA Series? The FIFA Series is a new football programme created by FIFA to give national teams more opportunities to play international matches, especially teams that rarely face opponents from other continents. Approved by the FIFA Council in December 2022, the FIFA Series also allows nations that are building their footballing footprint to experience international competition under conditions like those of major tournaments, thereby promoting both technical and organisational development. The pilot edition took place in March 2024 in Egypt. Teams were grouped into small tournaments of four countries and played friendly matches, but at a competitive level. Building on the success of the 2024 edition, the FIFA Series 2026 marks the first full-scale implementation of this initiative, featuring more Participating Member Associations (PMAs), more hosts and, for the first time, a dedicated women’s iteration. Teams and format Kigali will host two separate four-team mini-tournaments, featuring eight national sides pooled in two groups. Group A comprises hosts Rwanda, Kenya, Estonia and Grenada while Group B consists of Tanzania, Aruba, Liechtenstein and Macau. The competition will follow a mini knockout format, with semi-finals played first, followed by classification matches. Each team will play two matches—the maximum allowed within the FIFA international window. Venues The FIFA Series matches will be played at two venues in Kigali Amahoro Stadium —host Group A fixtures, including matches involving Rwanda and Kenya Kigali Pele Stadium — hosting Group B matches Fixtures in Kigali Group A – Amahoro Stadium Friday, March 27 Rwanda vs Grenada — 21:00 Kenya vs Estonia — 18:00 Monday, March 30 Third-place match — 18:00 Final — 21:00 Group B – Kigali Pelé Stadium Opening matches Aruba vs Macau — 13:30 Tanzania vs Liechtenstein — 16:30 Final matches Third-place match — 15:00 Final — 18:00 Why it matters The FIFA Series is designed to bridge the gap between traditional friendlies and competitive tournaments by offering structured, meaningful matches against opponents from different confederations. For Rwanda, the event presents a valuable opportunity to test itself against unfamiliar opposition while boosting its visibility on the international stage.
