FIFA

Partnering with the Swiss government to build football infrastructure for children in the Middle East 🤝 With the support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), FIFA is set to take an important first step in helping the football infrastructure by opening two FIFA Arena mini-pitches in the West Bank in 2026. The Swiss government has announced a contribution of CHF 120,000 to the initiative, enabling the construction of the facilities and supporting a broader, long-term commitment to restoring access to football across the region. The initial two FIFA Arena mini-pitches will be paired with a dedicated training programme for children, creating safe spaces for play that foster inclusion and personal development. The global FIFA Arena initiative, launched as part of FIFA’s commitment to delivering at least 1,000 mini-pitches by 2030, has already made a significant impact in a number of countries worldwide. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “The first two pitches in Palestine, which we will build with the support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, mark a historic moment in this journey. “They represent not only infrastructure, but also a message of solidarity and a belief in football’s ability to bring communities together, even in the most challenging contexts.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/e9nDmiM7

Nearly two million tickets sold for FIFA World Cup 2026™, as excitement builds for the Final Draw on Friday 5 December! The third phase of ticket sales runs from 11 December -13 January and gives fans the first opportunity to apply for single-match tickets based on exact match-ups and teams for group stage games, determined by the Final Draw and subsequent match schedule reveal. During the two initial ticket sale phases, residents of the three host countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico, in that order – drove the most purchases, followed by fans from England, Germany, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Argentina and France. Fans from 212 countries and territories have already secured their tickets. “With 42 teams already qualified, we are witnessing huge global interest as we prepare to find out, in just a few days’ time, most of the match-ups, as well as where and when they will take place,” said Heimo Schirgi, FIFA World Cup 2026™ Chief Operating Officer.  “With the much-awaited opening match in Mexico City kicking off in fewer than 200 days, we are ready and excited to welcome fans in North America next year for the biggest FIFA World Cup yet.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/eTFKsD2D

Saudi Fund for Development and FIFA join forces to provide financial support for sports infrastructure in developing nations 🤝 Unlocking the potential of sports to drive economic and social development, the Saudi Fund for Development and FIFA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to allocate up to USD 1 billion in concessional loans for the construction and rehabilitation of sports stadiums and essential surrounding infrastructure in developing countries around the world. The agreement underscores a shared commitment to support developing nations in strengthening their sports ecosystems as part of broader efforts to advance social and economic development. The programme will prioritise developing nations and their respective FIFA Member Associations, helping them invest in facilities that drive growth, create opportunity, and inspire participation at every level. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “FIFA's role is to develop football worldwide, and many of our FIFA Member Associations need additional support for the infrastructure necessary to host competitions. “Through this memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Fund for Development, up to USD 1 billion will be made available via concessional loans to finance the construction and enhancement of FIFA-certified stadiums. This agreement is a crucial step in ensuring our FIFA Member Associations have the facilities to make football truly global.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ezbJywU2

The match schedule for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Play-Off Tournament has been confirmed! 🗓️ Guadalajara Stadium and Monterrey Stadium will stage two matches each during the tournament, with Guadalajara hosting play-off pathway 1 featuring New Caledonia, Jamaica and Congo DR and Monterrey hosting play-off pathway 2 involving Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq. The semi-final matches in both cities will be played on Thursday, 26 March, before the finals are contested on Tuesday, 31 March. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament will be played in single-leg knockout matches, ensuring high-stakes showdowns in Mexico as the six competing nations seek to secure one of the final places at the first-ever 48 team FIFA World Cup. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eGrGGqBu

Contributing directly to global football development 🤝 FIFA has confirmed that the FIFA Series 2026™ will take place during the international match window in March and April next year, offering national teams from different continents a unique platform to compete and connect beyond their traditional confederation boundaries. Building on the success of the pilot edition held in March 2024, 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. The expanded format is designed to facilitate more meaningful international matches and contribute directly to global football development. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “The FIFA Series is about unlocking development potential for players, coaches and fans, while promoting football’s universality and diversity through meaningful matches. The 2026 edition will further enhance that impact for men’s and women’s football alike.” Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ezQs_XqS

Panama have qualified for their second FIFA World Cup ever! 🇵🇦

Back for the first time since 1974 ✅ See you at FIFA World Cup 2026, Haiti! 🇭🇹

History made for Curaçao! 🇨🇼 They will be making their FIFA World Cup debut in Canada, Mexico and the United States next year! 👏

Scotland are going to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1998! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 See you next year! 📆

Spain are heading back to the FIFA World Cup! 🇪🇸 The 2010 champions booked their place at next year's tournament after topping their qualifying group 🙌