Six matches to watch in the March international window
When to switch the TV on over the next week or so of wall-to-wall international football
Happy March international window to all who celebrate! The squads have been announced, the latest batch of allegiance switches have been made and the first proper rounds of international fixtures for 2025 are upon us.
As was becoming customary before I had a break from Substack around the November window, I’ve previewed what is to come over the next several days by picking half a dozen matches that should not be skipped.
When doing this before I chose one match per day, but I’ve decided not to limit myself this time. I might pick a couple that take place on the same day, although I’ll steer clear of two with similar kick-off times for your televisual pleasure.
Whatever you’ll be watching, I hope you get stuck into plenty over the seven days of matches, beginning on Wednesday when 2026 World Cup qualifying resumes in Africa.
Most of the matches I’ve chosen are towards the beginning of the window. I might be back in a few days to suggest a few extra ones for the later dates, depending on what stories emerge.
But, for now, let’s get started!
(All kick-off times local)
Australia vs Indonesia
2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying (AFC) - Thursday 20th March, 20:10 - Sydney
After Africa kicks things off, the world’s attentions switch to the AFC, and long-time readers will know I am particularly drawn to Indonesia at the moment.
The southeast Asian side have given themselves a real chance of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 1938 by making it to the Third Round, and have ramped up the expectation by hiring Patrick Kluivert as manager.
Japan are running away with Group C and could book themselves a place at the finals this week. Behind them, though, is an incredible battle for one automatic place, with Australia on seven points, ahead of Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and China who are all on six!
The meeting between second and third in Sydney will be fascinating — the winners can put daylight between themselves and the chasing pack, the losers could be bottom of the table by the end of the day.
With neither the Socceroos nor Tim Garuda playing Japan this month, now is truly the time to capitalise if they are serious about making it to the World Cup by the simplest route.
Brazil vs Colombia
2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying (CONMEBOL) - Thursday 20th March, 21:45 - Brasília
We could not ignore Brazil throughout a turbulent 2024 and little has changed as 2025 begins in earnest for the World Cup’s most successful side.
Qualifying for 2026 resumes in South America with the Seleção sitting fifth in the standings, five points clear of Bolivia, who occupy the play-off place. Only a point ahead of the Brazilians are Colombia, whose two defeats in November now have them looking over their shoulders.
With Bolivia and sixth-placed Paraguay the favourites on matchday 13 against Peru and Chile, respectively, whoever loses at the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha will again be at real risk of not qualifying for the World Cup automatically.
Considering Brazil travel to Argentina and Colombia welcome tough-to-beat Paraguay on 25th March, neither can afford another slip-up.
Rwanda vs Nigeria
2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying (CAF) - Friday 21st March, 18:00 - Kigali
With Africa Cup of Nations qualifying out of the way, the path to the 2026 World Cup also resumes in Africa, where so many of the First Round groups are tightly poised.
They don’t get much tighter — with a surprise leader and shock struggler thrown in — than in Group C, where Rwanda lead the way and Nigeria sit fifth of the six sides and without a win.
The Wasps sit top ahead of South Africa and Benin only on goal difference, while the Super Eagles know one win will do them a world of good as they try to get back on track in what will be Éric Chelle’s first match in charge and a first meeting in the group between the pair.
Seven points from four games and only three goals scored doesn’t suggest Rwanda are the most formidable of group leaders, but these two also met in Afcon qualifying in the autumn, and Rwanda took four points from the two head-to-head matches.
England vs Albania
2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying (UEFA) - Friday 21st March, 19:45 - London (Wembley)
Having waited so long for UEFA to get it’s World Cup qualification up and running, the opening two rounds are thoroughly underwhelming, with almost all the big hitters involved in the UNL.
The major exception being the side who took home another UEFA Euro silver medal last summer, who begin a new era under Thomas Tuchel. With a lot of managerial churn around the world in recent months, that was not going to be enough to put England vs Albania on my list.
However, the surprise squad announcements from the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss, such as the inclusions of Jordan Henderson, Marcus Rashford and Dan Burn, have piqued my interest and I dare say yours too.
Under contract for one tournament, with the sole aim of winning it, Tuchel has to get things right from the off, and quite frankly, not enough credit is being given to Albania, who performed admirably in an extremely tough group at Euro 2024.
Italy vs Germany
UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg - Sunday 23rd March, 20:45 - Dortmund
And now for something new for 2025; UEFA in their infinite wisdom have decided to further complicate the UEFA Nations League (UNL) by adding a quarter-final stage and relegation play-offs between the group stage and the UNL Finals.
Two-legged quarter-finals are a rarity in international football, and much to UEFA’s delight, all four are worth 180 minutes of your precious time. We have repeats of the 2018, 2010 and 1982 World Cup finals in the offing, and don’t sleep on Denmark vs Portugal, either.
However, I have chosen the second leg of Germany vs Italy at the hallowed Westfalenstadion, not just for 2006 World Cup semi-final nostalgia purposes, but because since their home Euro quarter-final exit to eventual winners Spain, Germany have been living up to their title as a team to watch for the future by going unbeaten. Another quarter-final at home is a good time to check in on their progress.
Italy, meanwhile, were disappointing at Euro 2024, but have since beaten France and taken a win and a draw against Belgium. Luciano Spalletti has now had long enough to build the team in his style and two matches with Germany will be a great test of how well that style is working.
The OFC Final
2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying (OFC) - Tuesday 24th March, 19:00 - Auckland (NZL)
Finish the international window with watching history being made. For the first time ever, two teams from Oceania will face off for a place in the FIFA World Cup.
21st March sees New Caledonia vs Tahiti and New Zealand vs Fiji, both in Wellington, before the two winners head to Eden Park in Auckland for the final on the 24th.
The All Whites will be heavy favourites, especially on home soil, but one need only mention “Tahiti” to give New Zealand a real scare — upsets have happened before, as they did in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, and they can do again.
Whatever happens, a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be secured and the OFC will celebrate finally receiving an automatic place at the finals.
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Anthony Tomas is a football writer and commentator, who has written for World Soccer Magazine, MUNDIAL and Flashscore.