National teams use friendlies to prepare for major tournaments such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
WASHINGTON — As the World Cup approaches, soccer teams are playing international “friendly” matches before the tournament officially begins.
Here’s what to know.
What are friendlies? Do they count?
“Friendlies,” also called exhibition matches, are games that do not count toward league standings, tournament advancement, or qualification for major competitions.
FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, includes friendly matches within its official international match calendar, which establishes designated windows when national teams can play outside of
Our editorial team includes several staff writers, each contributing their specialized knowledge to enhance the depth and breadth of our event and story coverage.