The penultimate day of FIFA Series 2026™ action began with New Zealand putting four past ten-man Chile, and continued with FIFA World Cup 2026™ participants Cabo Verde and Uzbekistan securing penalty-shootout victories, over Finland and Venezeula respectively.
Elsewhere, St. Kitts and Nevis finished on a high with a win over the Solomon Islands and Gabon bagged a bonus point against Trinidad and Tobago. Bulgaria claimed their second win of the series over Indonesia, while Kenya proved too strong for Grenada and Azerbaijan downed Sierra Leone in a sudden-death penalty shootout. To conclude the day’s action, Rwanda continued their resurgence with victory over Estonia.
FIFA Series 2026 – New Zealand
Cabo Verde goal: Kelvin Pires (67)
Finland goal: Naatan Skytta (45+4)
Cabo Verde ended on something of a high as they banked two points following a penalty shootout win against first-up winners Finland. It was the European side that struck first as Skytta tucked home Leo Walta’s cross in first-half stoppage time.
Defender Pires, who plays his club football in Finland, drew Cabo Verde level midway through the second term, nodding home a Sidny Cabral corner to send the match to spot-kicks. There, Cabo Verde custodian Marcio Rosa produced a pair of saves low to his right to secure the bonus point.
New Zealand goals: Kosta Barbarouses (31), Elijah Just (40), Jesse Randall (60), Ben Waine (71)
Chile goal: Gonzalo Tapia (83)
Disappointing in the Auckland drizzle last week as they fell to the Finns, New Zealand were much improved and far too strong for Chile in similar conditions in their closer.
Dario Osorio’s first-half dismissal made things tough for the visitors and the hosts went to the break in control after a pair of Tim Payne corners were swept home by firstly Barbarouses and then Just.
Randall made it three on the hour and Waine poked home from another corner before Tapia grabbed a late Chile consolation.
FIFA Series 2026 – Indonesia
Bulgaria goal: Marin Petkov (38 pen)
Bulgaria finished as group winners after edging out Indonesia in a compelling Jakarta battle. The game’s only goal came from the penalty spot. Petkov made no mistake from 12 yards after the home side were penalised for a foul by defender Kevin Diks on Zdravko Dimitrov.
Indonesia came close to a leveller when Rizky Ridho’s powerful shot was tipped on to the bar by goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov, but Bulgaria held on to secure victory.
St. Kitts and Nevis goals: Omari Sterling-James (30), Tiquanny Williams (43), Kyle Kelly (75), Harrison Panayiotou (87)
Solomon Islands goals: Don Keana (36), Junior Fordney (85)
After wild weather had delayed the kick-off by an hour-and-a-half, St. Kitts and Nevis proved too strong for the Solomon Islands to finish third in the Indonesia round of matches. Both teams were under the guidance of recently appointed coaches, and it was Marcelo Serrano who will head home the happier as his side turned a 2-1 lead at the break into a 4-2 result.
The pick of a goal-laden contest was a rasping 30-yard strike from St. Kitts and Nevis’ Liverpool midfielder Kyle Kelly.
FIFA Series 2026 – Uzbekistan
Gabon goals: Guelor Kanga (33), Edlin Matouti (54)
Trinidad and Tobago goals: Justin Garcia (53 & 90)
In a clash between two nations that lost their opening fixtures, Trinidad and Tobago twice came from behind to force the contest to spot-kicks. There, a see-sawing shootout was settled 3-2 in Gabon’s favour, with Metz defender Urie-Michel Mboula converting the decisive penalty.
Uzbekistan continued their World Cup preparations on a positive note with a penalty-shootout victory over Venezuela to win the group title.
Following their 3-1 reverse of Gabon, Fabio Cannavaro’s men enjoyed another triumph after Akmal Mozgovoy scored the winning spot-kick after Abduvohid Nematov had made a crucial save from Venezuela substitute Carlos Sosa.
During the 90 minutes, Uzbekistan came closest to scoring in the 64th minute, when a point-blank header by centre-back Rustamjon Ashurmatov was brilliantly saved by Jose Contreras.
FIFA Series 2026 – Rwanda
Kenya goals: Austin Odhiambo (13), Ryan Ogam (18), Zech Obiero (81)
A pair of quickfire first-half goals proved enough for Kenya to breeze past Grenada. The Africans hit the front when Ogam had a left-footed drive spilled into the path of Odhiambo, who smashed home from close range. Ogam would get his goal shortly after, turning home a Ben Omondi cross from five yards out. Kenya remained in control in the second period and would eventually add on a third through Obiero’s first international goal.
Rwanda goals: Abeddy Biramahire (30), Leroy-Jacques Mickels (51)
Stephen Constantine made it two wins from two in his Rwanda return, as the African nation won their inaugural match against European opposition to secure the group title in front of a raucous home crowd.
Following their 4-0 triumph over Grenada, Rwanda took the lead in thrilling fashion after Abeddy Biramahire finished off brilliant play from Joy-Lance Mickels down the left wing. After clever work from a short corner, Leroy-Jacques Mickels – the brother of Joy-Lance – doubled Rwanda’s lead in the 51st minute with an unstoppable finish.
FIFA Series 2026 – Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan goal: Rahil Mammadov (72)
Sierra Leone goal: Daniel Kanu (28)
Goalkeeper Aydin Bayramov emerged the hero as Azerbaijan defeated Sierra Leone in an epic sudden-death penalty shootout, saving two spot-kicks including Alpha Turay’s crucial final effort for the African nation. It was the home team’s second win of the campaign following their 6-1 triumph over St. Lucia.
Sierra Leone looked to be heading for victory when they took the lead midway through the opening half thanks to a neat effort from Daniel Kanu, who side-footed into the corner of the net. But the home side levelled the scores through the most unlikely of circumstances, when centre-back Rahil Mammadov scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick for his first international goal, an effort which took the game to penalties.
