Brazil, France, Croatia and Colombia Set for ‘Road to 26’ Series Ahead of World Cup

Four of international football’s most compelling nations—Brazil, France, Croatia and Colombia—will take part in a high-profile friendly tournament titled ‘Road to 26’, as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The matches will be played in the United States during the March international window, offering the teams an early opportunity to acclimatise to conditions in one of the tournament’s host nations.

The respective football associations officially confirmed the dates and venues on Thursday, underlining the importance of the series as a rehearsal for the expanded World Cup, which will feature 48 teams for the first time. Matches will be staged across Boston (Massachusetts), Orlando (Florida) and the Washington, DC metropolitan area, all cities with significant football infrastructure and large international fan bases.

According to the latest FIFA rankings, France sit third, Brazil fifth, Croatia tenth, and Colombia thirteenth, ensuring that each fixture promises elite-level competition. The headline encounter will take place on 26 March at the iconic Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, where Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil will face Didier Deschamps’ France in a clash of two recent World Cup finalists and champions. The match will kick off at 2:00am Bangladesh time.

The action continues the following day in Orlando, where Colombia will meet Croatia at the Camping World Stadium. Croatia, runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and third-place finishers in 2022, will use the match to further blend experience with emerging talent. On 29 March, Colombia return to action against France at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, before the series concludes with Brazil versus Croatia in Orlando on 1 April.

Match Schedule: Road to 26 Series

Brazil’s Football Confederation (CBF) had previously hinted at these fixtures following the World Cup group-stage draw on 5 December in Washington, DC, though dates and venues were only finalised later, on 19 December. Brazilian media have also reported that the Seleção will debut their new 2026 World Cup kits during the series—wearing the traditional yellow strip against France and a blue kit versus Croatia. France and Croatia are likewise expected to unveil updated sporting apparel during the friendlies.

The 2026 World Cup will begin on 11 June and conclude on 19 July, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, across 16 cities. Brazil have been drawn into Group C, where they will face Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in the group stage.

Far from being routine friendlies, the ‘Road to 26’ series represents a strategic checkpoint for these nations—testing tactics, squad depth and readiness as the countdown to football’s biggest stage gathers momentum.