Brazil begin their bid for a sixth World Cup crown against Morocco, in an intriguing clash that comes before .
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are among several highly fancied for the sprawling tournament, which takes place across the USA, Canada and Mexico, but they face a challenge from surprise semi-finalists in the 2022 edition, Morocco.
The Atlas Lions – who were off the pitch after farcical scenes in the final against Senegal – are now managed by Mohamed Ouahbi after the highly regarded Walid Regrarui resigned, but they remain a dark horse to be wary of.
Brazil were hit by a slew of injuries before the tournament, with the likes of Eder Militao, Rodrygo, and Estevao ruled out, while the Selecao for this game after their all-time top scorer suffered an injury set-back.
Brazil v Morocco LIVE: Latest World Cup updates
- Brazil face Morocco in World Cup | Kick-off at 11pm BST, live on BBC One
- Two sides expected to battle for top spot in Group C
- Both teams will also face Scotland and Haiti
- Team news: Brazil without Neymar for Group C opener
Brazil squad in full
21:35 , Alan Smith
Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio)
Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Ibanez (Al Ahli), Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Wesley (Roma)
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo)
Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Neymar (Santos), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
What to expect from Morocco
21:29 , Alan Smith
The Atlas Lions made history at the 2022 World Cup by becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals. Their build-up to 2026 has been rather more acrimonious, as a result of the events of the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal. Walid Regragui, the coach from 2022, departed just three months before the start of this World Cup, stating that Morocco needed a “fresh face, a different energy”. Morocco, after all, did not win the Afcon final, with Senegal stripped of their title and the result overturned following their walk-off.
On the pitch, Morocco were not particularly inspiring during Afcon and relied on a couple of, eh, questionable refereeing decisions to even reach their own final, which rather played into Senegal’s incredulity at how the closing stages of the showpiece played out. But the key to their unexpected success in Qatar was their defensive resilience against stronger opponents, which contrasted to their status of pre-tournament favourites at Afcon. Many expect them to be awkward opponents once again.
What to expect from Brazil
21:20 , Alan Smith
It’s been a long old wait for Brazil since they last won the World Cup in 2002. The Selecao have not really come close in that time, either. And given their 24-year drought equals the gap between 1970 and 1994, Brazil would be entering new territory should they fail to go all the way this summer: it would be their longest spell without winning a World Cup since the football-obsessed nation earned the first of their record five stars in 1958.
So something radical has occurred. Brazil will be led by their first ever foreign manager in Carlo Ancelotti, one of European football’s most decorated coaches and a five-time Champions League winning manager with Real Madrid and AC Milan. The sight of Ancelotti’s arching eyebrow presiding over the eternal psychodrama of Brazil bidding to win the World Cup will be fascinating, and the shock recall of Neymar has thrown another firework into the mix.
Neymar, now 34, has not played for Brazil since October 2023. He is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer but has struggled for form and fitness for a number of years. So his surprise inclusion in Ancelotti’s squad, over someone like Joao Pedro, rather encapsulates the question at the heart of the Selecao: do they really have the strength and depth in midfield and defence to go all the way, or will they represent style and image over substance once again?
Brazil vs Morocco prediction: 2026 World Cup betting tips & odds
21:10 , Luke Baker
Five- time champions Brazil are currently joint fifth favourites to win the 2026 World Cup at odds of 10/1 along with Argentina and behind Portugal, England, France and Spain.
They are seeking their first title since 2002, making this their longest drought without the title since they went 24 years from 1970 to 1994 – a run that ended in the US when they beat Italy on penalties.
You can get 150/1 on Morocco to win the tournament for the first time in the latest World Cup odds, but you would back them to get out of Group C, in second place at odds of 10/11.
Check out our tips for this evening’s clash:
New York/New Jersey: MetLife Stadium
21:00 , Luke Baker
MetLife Stadium (branded New York New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup) hosts this evening’s match – here’s what you need to know:
Capacity: 82,500
Matches: Five group, one last 32, one last 16, final
Info: All eyes will be on East Rutherford for the final on 19 July. Before that, the stadium will host Brazil’s opener against Morocco on 13 June and England’s final group game against Panama on 27 June.
Brazil contend with memories of 1994 as new generation hope for their own Romario
20:45 , Luke Baker
As the 2026 World Cup gets underway, an unfamiliar situation is unfolding in the Brazil camp. The five-time winners, so often among the favourites going into the summer, are something of an unknown entity.
The tournament’s most successful team have come to define the World Cup across their five victorious campaigns, from Pele’s final brace and Carlos Alberto’s goal against Italy to Ronaldo’s redemption in 2002.
And 32 years after winning the World Cup in Pasadena thanks to another iconic moment, the next generation of the Selecao arrives in North America hoping to lift the famous trophy for a second time on US soil.
However, they risk falling to an unprecedented run of bad form. Brazil have never featured in six World Cups in a row without winning one, but this tournament could well put the Selecao on the wrong side of history.
Chris Wilson digs into the shadow of 1994 looming over Brazil:
20:30 , Jack Rathborn at MetLife Stadium .
The Independent’s Sports Editor Jack Rathborn is at MetLife Stadium for us this evening and will be providing regular updates
“Having got to Met Life Stadium four hours before kick-off, the buses are rammed with fans, with Moroccan red outnumbering Brazilian yellow for now.
“Most fans are navigating the chaos of the New York-New Jersey transport by hopping on New Jersey buses through to the American Dream mall…
“Carlo Ancelotti will certainly hope he experiences the American Dream as Brazil push for their sixth world title. It’s a scorcher, too, with 30c temperatures already, making those mandatory hydration breaks sensible, perhaps, for the first time in this tournament.”
How ‘brand Brazil’ lost its shine as World Cup’s defining team
20:15 , Luke Baker
Bring the adverts up on YouTube now and what will strike first is how dated it looks. The production, the concept: it all belongs to a bygone era. From the airport to the dressing room, the Three Rs are very much not in 4k.
For fans of a specific age, Brazil and Nike’s series of promos still stir up reminders of a golden era, supported by the idea – so eloquently expressed in a piece by the author Paul Howard last week – of everyone’s favourite World Cup being the one closest to when they are 10 years old.
For the Selecao, however, that last globally successful period of joga bonito is a peak that feels more and more difficult to reascend with each passing tournament. Before Carlo Ancelotti’s team open Group C against Morocco at 11pm BST on Saturday they are at the foot of the climb with an ageing core that struggled through qualification, no longer considered certainties to reach the latter stages.
Read Alan Smith diving into the decline of Brazil:
Neymar injury
20:08 , Luke Baker
Neymar sustained a grade two calf injury just three weeks out from the tournament.
The 34-year-old is all but certain to miss this evening’s match against Morocco. However, coach Carlo Ancelotti is optimistic that the Brazilian icon could be in contention to face Haiti next Friday.
“Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible,” Ancelotti said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. “The expectation is that he can rejoin the group [training] next week.”
Early Morocco team news
20:05 , Luke Baker
For Morocco, Marwane Saadane and Amine Sbai replaced Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli shortly before the tournament, with Anass Salah-Eddine, Chemsdine Talbi and Noussair Mazraoui all doubts for this first game.
Morocco XI:Bounou, Riad, Diop, Hakimi, Mazraoui, Saibari, Ounahi, El Aynaoui, Bouaddi, Ezzalzouli, Diaz
Early Brazil team news
20:02 , Luke Baker
Midfielder Ederson was a late replacement for the injured Wesley for Brazil, while veteran Neymar, who came into camp with a muscular issue, is not expected to be fit.
Brazil possible XI: Alisson, Wesley, Marquinhos, Douglas Santos, Roger Ibanez, Casemiro, Paqueta, Guimaraes, Igor Thiago, Raphinha, Vinicius Jr
How to watch Brazil v Morocco
19:59 , Luke Baker
Brazil begin their World Cup campaign against Morocco, with kick-off at 6pm ET (local time), 3pm PT and 11pm BST at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Viewers in the UK can watch the game for free on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 10.30pm BST, or stream it live on BBC iPlayer.
Viewers in the US can watch the game on Fox Sports and Fox One.
Brazil v Morocco
19:48 , Luke Baker
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Brazil v Morocco.
In what is one of the must fascinating match-ups of the entire group stage, the five-time World Cup winners take on the 2022 surprise semi-finalist, who many are tipping as dark horses this time around.
This is a Group C clash, so in Scotland’s group, although the Scots’ attention may be elsewhere this evening…