Senior national men’s team Brave Warriors have safely arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the much talked about Fifa Series.
According to the Namibia Football Association (NFA) the Brave warriors landed in Astana on Sunday morning.
The NFA says after the 17-hour flight, head coach Collin Benjamin took his charges through the ropes in a carefully structured rejuvenation session, which he says is essential for maintaining performance levels.
The session focused on easing muscle fatigue, improving blood circulation, and helping players readjust after prolonged travel.
Light stretching, mobility exercises, hydration, and low-intensity movement were key components, all aimed at restoring physical balance and preventing stiffness.
The Brave Warriors are boosted by the arrival of three foreign-based players, Mbakondja Tjahikika, Sergio Damaseb, and Tjipenandjambi Karuuombe, who joined the squad upon landing, adding depth and experience ahead of the upcoming fixtures.
The Brave Warriors will face Kazakhstan tomorrow before taking on Comoros on Saturday. Both matches will be played at the Astana Arena.
FIFA SERIES 2026: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
The 2026 Fifa Series will bring together national teams with a wide range of competitive profiles, reinforcing the development-driven design of the initiative.
The 2026 edition of this initiative will feature 48 national teams representing almost a quarter of Fifa’s 211 member associations competing in 12 groups of four teams each.
Eleven Fifa member associations will host the series, with Rwanda staging two groups. Nine groups will feature men’s national teams and three will involve women’s national teams, with all six confederations represented.
On the men’s side, participating teams span the full breadth of the Fifa/Coca-Cola world ranking, from established teams such as Australia (currently ranked 27th) to emerging football nations like the United States Virgin Islands (207th). For the women’s game, the Fifa Series will involve teams ranked as high as Brazil (sixth) all the way to Turks and Caicos (196th).
WHAT IS THE FIFA SERIES?
The Fifa Series are friendly matches that will be contested by national teams from different confederations, who don’t normally have the opportunity to play each other. The ultimate objective of the Fifa Series is to allow more international football interaction, making a concrete contribution to global football development.
WHEN DOES THE FIFA SERIES TAKE PLACE?
The men’s edition will run from tomorrow to 31 March, while the women’s will be contested from 9 April and will conclude on 18 April.
WHERE WILL THE FIFA SERIES BE HOSTED IN 2026?
Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan will be the hosts for the men’s edition of the Fifa Series. Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire and Thailand, meanwhile, will host the women’s event.
WHICH TEAMS WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE FIFA SERIES 2026?
Men’s
Fifa Series: Australia
Australia (AFC)
Cameroon (CAF)
China PR (AFC)
Curaçao (Concacaf)
Fifa Series: Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (Uefa)
Oman (AFC)
Saint Lucia (Concacaf)
Sierra Leone (CAF)
Fifa Series: Indonesia
Bulgaria (Uefa)
Indonesia (AFC)
Saint Kitts and Nevis (Concacaf)
Solomon Islands (OFC)
Fifa Series: Kazakhstan
Comoros (CAF)
Kazakhstan (Uefa)
Kuwait (AFC)
Namibia (CAF)
Fifa Series: New Zealand
Cape Verde (CAF)
Chile (Conmebol)
Finland (Uefa)
New Zealand (OFC)
Fifa Series: Puerto Rico
American Samoa (OFC)
Guam (AFC)
Puerto Rico (Concacaf)
US Virgin Islands (Concacaf)
Fifa Series: Rwanda A
Estonia (Uefa)
Grenada (Concacaf)
Kenya (CAF)
Rwanda (CAF)
Fifa Series: Rwanda B
Aruba (Concacaf)
Liechtenstein (Uefa)
Macau (AFC)
Tanzania (CAF)
Fifa Series: Uzbekistan
Gabon (CAF)
Trinidad and Tobago (Concacaf)
Uzbekistan (AFC)
Venezuela (Conmebol)
Women’s
Fifa Series: Brazil
Brazil (Conmebol)
Canada (Concacaf)
Korea Republic (AFC)
Zambia (CAF)
Fifa Series: Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire (CAF)
Mauritania (CAF)
Pakistan (AFC)
Turks and Caicos Islands (Concacaf)
Fifa Series: Thailand
Thailand (AFC)
Nepal (AFC)
New Caledonia (OFC)
Democratic Republic of Congo (CAF)
HOW WILL THE TOURNAMENT BE PLAYED?
While all matches are international friendlies, the participating member associations have agreed on varied competition formats either semi-finals and a final, or pre-arranged fixtures.
Any match that ends in a draw will go straight to a penalty shootout, with no extra time. In each group, regardless of format, one member association will emerge as group victors.
Fifa has endorsed this participant-led approach, as it enhances the competitive edge of these fixtures, makes them more engaging for fans, and provides a valuable sporting opportunity for all teams involved.
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