Brazil Open World Cup 2026 Against Morocco Without Neymar in Blockbuster Group C Clash

The most anticipated group-stage match of the 2026 World Cup takes place on Saturday, as five-time champions Brazil take on Morocco, Africa’s most promising side, in Group C.

The match kicks off at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at 6:00 p.m. local time (22:00 GMT). Al Jazeera Sport will provide live coverage and text commentary from 19:00 GMT.

Brazil – Heavy pressure, cautious expectations

Brazil arrive at the 2026 World Cup as one of the least favored contenders in their history. Under new head coach Carlo Ancelotti, the five-time champions have endured a turbulent preparation period marked by injuries and inconsistent qualifying results.

“It’s good to have doubts about the team, because that has happened in the past,” goalkeeper Alisson said, alluding to previous World Cups where Brazil were not highly rated but still won.

Brazil’s squad still boasts quality: Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes in defense; Vinicius Jr and Raphinha on the wings; Matheus Cunha up front. However, Neymar – the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals – has been ruled out of the Morocco match due to a calf injury. The star’s return after 2.5 years out is seen as a fitness gamble.

Other absentees due to injury include Rodrygo, Estevao, Eder Militao, and Wesley.

Morocco – Africa’s challengers

Morocco were the biggest surprise package at the 2022 World Cup, eliminating Spain and Portugal before losing to France in the semi-finals – the best ever performance by an African or Arab nation.

Heading into 2026, the North African side is again tipped as the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) team most likely to shine. Their squad is built from top academies and leagues in Spain and France, featuring stars such as Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz.

However, Morocco have also faced upheaval: they lost to Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final on home soil, then were awarded the title under controversial circumstances after their opponent forfeited. Veteran coach Walid Regragui resigned three months before the World Cup. His replacement is Mohamed Ouahbi, who led Morocco’s U20 team to the U20 World Cup title in Chile last year.

Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli were cut from the squad due to injury; Amine Sbai and Marwane Saadane have been called up as replacements.

Head-to-head and odds

This is the fourth meeting between the two sides. Brazil have won two, Morocco one – a 2023 friendly (2-1). Their last World Cup encounter was in 1998, a 3-0 Brazil victory with goals from Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Bebeto.

According to Opta Analyst statistics, Brazil have a 57.7% chance of winning this match, Morocco 18.8%, with a 23.5% probability of a draw. In Group C (featuring Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland), Brazil have a 65.85% chance of topping the group, Morocco 23.14%.

Recent form

Brazil (last five matches, most recent first): Win – Win – Win – Loss – Draw. Morocco: Draw – Win – Win – Win – Draw. Morocco have the better recent record, with convincing wins over Madagascar and Burundi, while Brazil lost to France and only drew with Tunisia.

Broadcast information

In Brazil, the match will be broadcast on SBT, GETV, Globoplay, sportv, NSPORTS, Caze TV, and TV Globo, starting at 7:00 p.m. local time (Rio de Janeiro). In Morocco, kick-off is at 11:00 p.m. local time, with live coverage on beIN SPORTS Max 2 and 4. UK viewers can watch on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, ITV, and STV; in the US: FOX, Telemundo, Peacock.