A “friendly” is a colloquial football (soccer) term referring to a match played between two national teams that does not count toward qualification for an international tournament, and is not scheduled as an official fixture in a competition. Friendlies are usually played as exhibition or practice matches to allow teams to experiment with different tactics and player combinations. The term “World Cup friendly” describes a practice match involving teams playing in the main tournament. In the weeks preceding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, most of the participating teams organized World Cup friendlies.
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