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It’s the international break but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun. There are, of course, crunch playoffs for the Geopolitics World Cup – if anyone actually wants to be there – in Europe and over in Mexico. But for the rest, this is a chance to rip up the rulebook and play whoever the hell they like. Those heading to North America in the summer have to keep things semi-serious. England have got Wembley friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. Fine. Brazil are in the USA USA USA to play France and Croatia. Check. The defending champions, Argentina, had their Finalissima against Spain in Qatar cancelled because of the threat of rogue missiles and have scheduled friendlies against anyone that was available, namely Mauritania (115th in the world) and Zambia (a lofty 91st). Spain clearly had a better agent and have booked Serbia and Egypt. But these are a mere sideshow to the Fifa Series 2026, a set of village fetes dotted across the globe, pitting nations from different continents against each other in four-team tournaments.
This is the second edition of the Fifa Series – how can it live up to 2024, eh? – which Gianni Infantino himself has deigned to say “is about unlocking development potential for players, coaches and fans, while promoting football’s universality and diversity through meaningful matches”. Finally, the development potential us fans have been crying out for. Fortunately none of these mini-tournaments are being hosted by a country that is bombing one of its fellow participants. Puerto Rico is the stage for the Fifa Series curtain-raiser as the US Virgin Islands take on American Samoa on Tuesday. Puerto Rico, coached by the Gainsborough Trinity legend Charlie Trout, get their tournament under way against Guam later in the evening. Spot the link there. Focus then turns to Rwanda on Wednesday with the blockbuster double-header of Aruba v Macau and Tanzania v Liechtenstein in Kigali. “We want to have more extended spells in possession,” cried the Liechtenstein skipper Nicolas Hasler this week, so hopefully it’s worth the flight, vaccination checks and anti-malaria medication for a bit of keep-ball on the edge of the Tanzania box. Estonia are also on their way to Kigali to renew their age-old rivalry with Kenya. Grenada or buoyant hosts Rwanda await in the final.
