International Football
Biennial FIFA Series Of Friendly Games To Launch In March –
FIFA are launching a new series of friendly matches in one location during the international window called the FIFA Series, with a pilot project kicking off in four countries next month, world soccer’s governing body said on Monday.
Although there are no trophies or prize money, the series is designed to benefit national teams that do not have the opportunity to play teams from other confederations, with FIFA set to cover travel costs.
A soft launch of the FIFA Series will take place from March 18-26 at four locations — Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Azerbaijan and Sri Lanka. Four teams will be based in one location and will play two matches each.
“Some countries have never played teams outside their confederations,” Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA’s Regional Member Associations Director for Europe, told reporters.
“They can gain competitive experience playing teams outside their own confederation, playing teams with a completely different style of play.
“Currently we have 20 teams for the pilot edition. For the 2026 edition we hope to have many more.”
Saudi Arabia will host two groups although the hosts themselves will not be involved in the matches, which are designed to benefit teams that have never qualified for the World Cup.
“The next World Cup (in 2026) will have 48 teams which means you may have many member associations who never played in a World Cup,” said Kenny Jean-Marie, FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer.
“They may arrive in the U.S., Mexico or Canada with no international experience outside their continent.”
Mammadov said they are currently working on fixing television broadcast deals for the Series while they will also look to stream matches on the FIFA+ platform.
He added there were no disagreements with confederations regarding scheduling these tournaments as they were being played during the international break. The next edition in 2026 could see bigger teams looking to take part.
“We’ve started discussions with high-ranked teams and they hope to play and even host the next edition in March 2026. There is interest to host,” he said.
With FIFA only facilitating and not organising the tournaments, Mammadov said they were inviting member associations with their own sponsors on the ground to sponsor the Series.
“But if companies approach to sponsor the FIFA Series, FIFA will not close the door,” he added.
FIFA SERIES – MARCH 2024
ALGERIA
Teams: Algeria, Bolivia, Andorra, South Africa
AZERBAIJAN
Teams: Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Tanzania, Bulgaria
SRI LANKA
Teams: Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Bhutan, Central African Republic
SAUDI ARABIA
Group A: Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guyana, Cambodia
Group B: Guinea, Vanuatu, Bermuda, Brunei
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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