NZ Ready for World University Futsal Championship Challenge in Poland

The New Zealand Men's Futsal Team departed yesterday for Warsaw, Poland, where they will represent New Zealand at the 2026 FISU World University Championship Futsal from 1–7 July.

Hosted by the Warsaw University Sports Association (AZS Warszawa), the championship brings together the world's best university futsal players for seven days of international competition. More than 400 student-athletes from 18 countries will compete across the men's and women's tournaments, making this the largest FISU World University Futsal Championship since 2014. Over the course of the week, 75 matches (48 men's and 27 women's) will be played across Warsaw's competition venues.

As Poland's vibrant capital and largest city, Warsaw provides an outstanding backdrop for the championship. Rich in history yet renowned for its modern sporting facilities, the city has become an increasingly popular host for international university sporting events and will welcome hundreds of athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers from across Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

Following the official draw, New Zealand has been placed in Group D alongside Slovakia, Saudi Arabia and Lithuania. Tournament organisers described the draw as highly competitive, noting that "no one can be underestimated", with quality teams spread across all six groups.

New Zealand's Group D Schedule

vs Slovakia
1 July – 7:00 pm (Warsaw)
2 July – 5:00 am (NZT)

vs Saudi Arabia
2 July – 7:00 pm (Warsaw)
3 July – 5:00 am (NZT)

vs Lithuania
3 July – 4:00 pm (Warsaw)
4 July – 2:00 am (NZT)

The men's competition features 16 teams from four continents, including traditional futsal powerhouses such as Brazil, Portugal, Poland, Ukraine and Chinese Taipei, alongside emerging university programmes from countries including New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Czechia, Slovakia and Lithuania. Defending champions Croatia are not returning to defend their title, meaning a new champion will be crowned in Warsaw.

Watch Live

Supporters back home can follow New Zealand throughout the tournament, with every match available to watch live on FISU TV.

Watch live: https://www.fisu.tv

Additional tournament information, results and news are available on the official championship website:
https://futsal2026.fisu.net

University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand wishes the team and management every success as they represent New Zealand on the world stage.