Three OFC men’s national teams will be involved in the second edition of the FIFA Series this week – mini-tournaments created by FIFA to bring national teams from all six confederations together for international matches.
New Zealand will host in Auckland, whilst the Solomon Islands will travel to Indonesia, and American Samoa will head outside of OFC for the first time to play a mini-tournament in Puerto Rico.
The 2026 edition follows on from its inaugural staging in 2024, where New Zealand, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea were all involved from OFC.
It offers valuable experience for OFC’s men’s national teams to test themselves against different nations and travel around the world for matches they seldom, or never, have had the opportunity to play before.
New Zealand
New Zealand will become the first OFC member association to host a FIFA Series tournament this week, welcoming Chile, Cape Verde and Finland to Auckland, with all four matches of the series to be played at Eden Park.
The series will serve as their final home fixtures before the FIFA World Cup 2026™, with the All Whites to face Finland first, followed by Chile.
“These are two really important games for us as we continue building towards the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Finland and Chile should be great tests for us, and we look forward to taking them on in front of all of our home fans at Eden Park,” head coach Darren Bazeley told media after announcing his squad for the March window.
Finland will be the first European nation to play in New Zealand since 1991 and the first to play in Oceania since 2017. Whilst Cape Verde will join New Zealand at the World Cup, having recently qualified for the first time, and Chile are in a rebuilding phase after missing out on each of the last three global finals.
Fixtures
vs Finland | Friday, March 27 | 19:00 NZT, Eden Park, Auckland | Watch on FIFA+ HERE
vs Chile | Monday, March 31 | 19:00 NZT, Eden Park, Auckland | Watch on FIFA+ HERE
Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands will have new head coach, as Ben Cahn takes the reins when they travel to Indonesia for their FIFA Series tournament this week, where they will face Bulgaria, and one of either the hosts or St Kitts & Nevis.
The tournament will follow a knockout-style format, with the winners of the first two matches to play off in the final, and the losers also to meet each other for third place.
Cahn takes on a dual coaching role with Solomon Kings FC in the OFC Pro League, and takes over from Josh Smith.
The Solomon Islands will play European opposition for the first time when they face Bulgaria in their first game, and may also play a Caribbean nation for the first time too, should they play St Kitts & Nevis in their second fixture.
Fixtures
vs Bulgaria | Friday, March 27 | 15:30 local time (19:30 SIT, 21:30 NZT) | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta | Watch on FIFA+ HERE
vs Indonesia/St Kitts & Nevis | Monday, March 30 | Time TBC | Galora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta
American Samoa
American Samoa will make history by playing an international match outside of Oceania for the first time when they travel to Puerto Rico for their FIFA Series tournament, also with a new head coach – Spaniard, Diego Gomez.
Like the Solomon Islands in Jakarta, their mini-tournament will also feature a knockout format, with Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands also involved.
“This is a completely different challenge to what the national team is used to facing,” says new coach Diego Gomez. “This is a very good opportunity for us to show we can compete against this type of opposition. We are working towards beating the US Virgin Islands in our first game. It’s going to be tough but we know we can do it.”
American Samoa’s clash with the US Virgin Islands will be their first match against a nation from the CONCACAF confederation. Should they win any of their two games in Puerto Rico, it would also be their first victory against any nation from outside Oceania.
Fixtures:
vs US Virgin Islands | Wednesday, March 25 | 09:00 AST (Thursday, March 26, 09:00 NZT) | Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón | Watch on FIFA+ HERE
vs Puerto Rico\Guam | Saturday, March 28 | Time TBC (Sunday, March 29 NZT) | Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón
How to watch
Football fans in Oceania can watch all the FIFA Series action from around the globe LIVE and FREE on FIFA+ HERE