Mongolia to Compete in FIFA World Series Tournament, Friendly

Image property of the MFF

According to Azerbaijani media, Mongolia will compete in a mini tournament in that country in March 2024. Also competing in the tournament are Bulgaria and Tanzania, in addition to the hosts.

Mongolia, ranked 190 in the current FIFA world rankings, will open the tournament against #114 Azerbaijan in Baku on 22 March. Three days later, the Blue Wolves will take on #121 Tanzania.

Azerbaijan and Tanzania will be Mongolia's second-ever matches against both a member of UEFA and the Confederation of African Football. Previously, Mongolia hosted the CAF's Mauritius for a match in 2018 and played its first match against a European opponent away to Georgia in 2023.

The tournament will mark one of, if not the very first, FIFA World Series Tournaments held since the idea was announced by FIFA president Gianni Infantino in 2022. The tournaments are to be played in the March international window of even-numbered years and are organized by the world's governing body when the individual associations wish to participate. The series are meant to provide meaningful matches against a more diverse pool of opponents while reducing travel costs and logistical challenges.

The matches will mark the first for Mongolia since crashing out of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification to Afghanistan in the first round in October 2023.

In addition to the mini tournament, it has been reported by the Khmer Times that Cambodia will host Mongolia for a friendly, also in March 2024, to celebrate the installation of new seating at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh. According to Keo Sareth, Secretary-General of the Football Federation of Cambodia, an official date has not yet been set.

Neither the World Series tournament nor Cambodia friendly have yet been confirmed by the Mongolian Football Federation.