The day before the International Football Association Board Congress in Rwanda, the FIFA Council approved the international match calendars for men's and women's national teams. 

Before the start of the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, the FIFA Council convened and adopted several key decisions, including one regarding the match calendars for men's and women's national teams. This is reported on the official website of the organization. The calendars were unanimously approved after detailed consultations.

International Match Calendar for Men's National Teams 2025-2030

March: nine-day window for two matches.

June: nine-day window for two matches (including possible friendly matches during tournament preparation).

Late September/Early October: 16-day window for four matches (to be introduced from 2026, while in September and October 2025 there will still be two nine-day windows for two matches);

November: nine-day window for two matches.

According to the new calendar, the final of the 2026 World Cup will take place on Sunday, July 19. Starting from May 25, 2026, there will be a break in club competitions after the last official club match on May 24 (exceptions may apply for finals of international club tournaments in confederations up to May 30 with FIFA approval). 

The 56-day break period in club competitions, including rest days, rehabilitation, and actual matches, remains the same as during the World Cups of 2010, 2014, and 2018. 

International Match Calendar for Women's National Teams for 2024-2025

The international match calendar for women's national teams in 2024-2025 will include six windows of different types each year to allow confederations to schedule their specific qualification tournaments and national teams to play friendly matches.

The calendar takes into account the dates of the women's Olympic football tournament (July 25 - August 10, 2024) and the CONCACAF Gold Cup (February 20 - March 10, 2024).

Format of the 2026 World Cup

Based on a thorough analysis that considered sporting fairness, player welfare, team travel, commercial and sporting appeal, as well as the experience of teams and fans, the FIFA Council unanimously approved changes to the format of the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in stadiums across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. 

In the final tournament, instead of 16 groups with three teams each, there will be 12 groups with four teams. The top two teams from each group and eight best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16. The revised format reduces injury risk and guarantees that all teams play a minimum of three matches, ensuring balanced rest periods between them.

The FIFA Council also adopted decisions regarding the format of the Club World Cup, the tender process for hosting the women's 2027 World Cup, the FIFA Statutes, and transfer reform.