PNG and Vanuatu to participate in inaugural FIFA Series – Football in Oceania

FIFA have introduced a set of friendly matches between confederations, with Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu taking part in the first edition. The international body confirm to FiO it will cover the travel and accommodation costs.

The newly announced FIFA Series will see teams from each of the six confederations take part, with the two OFC representatives playing against three teams theyve never met before.

In Sri Lanka, PNG will face the hosts as well as Asias Bhutan and Africas Central African Republic when the friendlies kick off in the international window in March.

Vanuatu will travel to Saudi Arabia to play Brunei from Asia, Bermuda from the Caribbean and African nation Guinea, who just reached the quarter finals of the African Cup of Nations in January.

The first edition of the FIFA Series will take place from 18 to 26 March, with future instalments planned to take place during every March international match window of even years.

FIFA believes that the FIFA Series are a great opportunity to enable member associations which do not have regular opportunities to play against teams from other confederations to do so. Consequently, the main objective of the FIFA Series is to contribute to the development of football on the pitch within those member associations, FIFA tells Football in Oceania.

Travelling to these friendlies can be expensive for the smaller nations, but FIFA assure they will cover the cost of transportation and hotel for teams.

Each nation will get travel and accommodation covered for a delegation of 35, including both players and staff. Should a team wish to bring more than 35 people along, FIFA will not cover the additional costs.

The main benefit of the FIFA Series is on the pitch as these matches provide teams which normally dont have the opportunity to play intercontinental friendlies to do so. FIFA will provide a contribution to the participating Member Associations, which represents an additional benefit, FIFA says.

Asked how the nations that are participating were selected, FIFA responded:

The FIFA Series was announced by the FIFA Council in December 2022 and immediately drew significant attention from FIFA Member Associations. This project was naturally appealing to those MAs who were available and had no prior friendly or qualification commitments for March 2024 international window and these discussions through our MA division led to the line-up which was announced Monday.

These are the FIFA Series hosts and participants:

Algeria (CAF) Andorra (UEFA) Bolivia (CONMEBOL) South Africa (CAF)

Azerbaijan (UEFA) Bulgaria (UEFA) Mongolia (AFC) Tanzania (CAF)

Cabo Verde (CAF) Cambodia (AFC) Equatorial Guinea (CAF) Guyana (Concacaf)

Bermuda (Concacaf) Brunei Darussalam (AFC) Guinea (CAF) Vanuatu (OFC)

Bhutan (AFC) Central African Republic (CAF) Papua New Guinea (OFC) Sri Lanka (AFC)

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PNG and Vanuatu to participate in inaugural FIFA Series - Football in Oceania