Brazil will begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign without Neymar after head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the star forward will not be available for the team’s opening Group C fixture against Morocco.The Selecao are set to face Morocco at MetLife Stadium on June 14 (IST) in what will be their first match of the tournament. Neymar had been racing against time to recover from a calf injury suffered in the build-up to the World Cup, but Ancelotti revealed the forward will not be ready for the clash.Providing an update on Neymar’s condition, Ancelotti told FotMob: “He’s working hard to get fit as quickly as possible. We hope he can return to full training next week.”While the opener has come too soon for the Brazilian talisman, there remains optimism within the camp that he could feature later in the group stage. Brazil’s remaining fixtures are against Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24, and Ancelotti is hopeful Neymar will be available for those encounters.Brazil’s meeting with Morocco will mark only the second World Cup clash between the two nations. Their only previous encounter on football’s biggest stage came during the 1998 group phase, when Brazil secured a 3-0 victory. The match is remembered for Ronaldo Nazario and Rivaldo scoring their first-ever World Cup goals.History also favours the five-time champions when facing African opposition at the tournament. Brazil have won seven of their eight World Cup matches against African teams, with their lone defeat coming against Cameroon in 2022, when they suffered a 1-0 loss.The contest carries additional significance as it is the only group-stage fixture featuring two nations currently ranked inside FIFA’s top 10. Brazil enter the tournament ranked sixth in the world, while Morocco sit eighth.Despite Neymar’s absence, Ancelotti remains confident about his squad’s chances heading into the tournament.“This is a team which can compete with anyone,” Ancelotti added.“We can face up to any team. We have technical quality and experience and we are absolutely confident we can face up to any team. We have a good feeling about this World Cup. We’re ready and prepared. At this point there is no clear favourite for the World Cup. Several teams will have the opportunity to compete all the way to the end,” the Brazil head coach concluded.
