FIFA Series 2024 Friendly Matches to Kick Off Thursday in Jeddah

File photo/Saudi flag fluttering in the Jeddah

The friendly matches of the FIFA Series 2024 experimental project will kick off Thursday, with the Kingdom hosting for the first time two groups aligning with the ongoing FIFA international match days.
FIFA has announced its support for its member federations in organizing a set of international friendly matches, including the participation of four national teams from diverse continental federations to be taken place in a single host country.
Jeddah Governorate hosts two groups at the reserve stadium of King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sport City Stadium, scheduled from March 21 to March 26, SPA reported.
The first group includes teams from Cape Verde (Confederation of African Football), Cambodia (Asian Football Confederation), Equatorial Guinea (Confederation of African Football), and Guyana (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football). The second group will host Bermuda (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football), Brunei Darussalam (Asian Football Confederation), Guinea (Confederation of African Football), and Vanuatu (Oceania Football Confederation).
The participating teams have all arrived at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah in preparation for the kickoff on Thursday. The teams are holding their practice sessions at the training facilities of King Abdullah Sports City.
The hosting of the intercontinental championship is part of the ongoing cooperation between the Saudi and international football federations, and it contributes to enhancing FIFA's developmental plans, mainly those related to developing national teams, as well as providing more opportunities for their technical growth.
The Kingdom is hosting two groups for this project, reinforcing its status as a prime destination for global mega sports events. The Kingdom has recently been the venue for a variety of major tournaments, including the FIFA Club World Cup, the Spanish and Italian Super Cups, and the West Asian Women's Championship. It has announced it will hold the Asian Cup 2027, leading up to its bid for the FIFA World Cup 2034.