Brazil begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on Saturday, facing Morocco in a highly anticipated Group stage match. However, the five-time champions will be without their star forward Neymar, who has been ruled out due to a calf injury sustained during preparations.
Neymar Ruled Out of Opener
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the news, stating that Neymar is working hard to regain fitness and is expected to return to full training next week. The 34-year-old is likely to be available for Brazil's subsequent group matches against Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24.
Head-to-Head History
Brazil and Morocco have met only once before at a World Cup, with Brazil winning their 1998 group-stage encounter 3-0. Morocco later avenged that defeat with a 2-1 friendly victory in 2023. Brazil have traditionally dominated African opposition at the World Cup, winning seven of eight matches, with their sole loss coming against Cameroon in 2022.
Rankings and Form
This group-stage fixture is the only one featuring two teams inside the top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings: Brazil at sixth and Morocco at eighth. Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi dismissed the underdog tag, insisting that there are no favourites in such a tournament. Morocco have never won their opening World Cup match nor faced South American opposition in an opener since 1998, when they lost to Brazil.
Coaches and Players Speak
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi expressed confidence in his squad's preparation and principles. Brazil forward Vinicius Junior acknowledged Morocco's improvement, calling them a well-organised team capable of challenging any opponent. Ancelotti added that Brazil have the quality, experience, and confidence to compete with any team, emphasising that there is no clear favourite for the World Cup title.
Brazil are chasing their sixth World Cup title and first since 2002. Their best performance since then was a semi-final run on home soil in 2014. The match against Morocco will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
