Neymar Out for Brazil's World Cup Opener, Group Stage Return Uncertain

Brazil's highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign is set to begin without one of its most prominent stars, as forward Neymar Jr. has been officially ruled out of the opening Group C fixture against Morocco. The five-time world champions will face the Atlas Lions this Saturday at MetLife Stadium in New York, but will do so without their all-time leading international goal-scorer, who is recovering from a calf injury.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the unfortunate news, indicating that the 34-year-old's recovery timeline is still uncertain. Ancelotti revealed that Neymar could potentially be sidelined for the entirety of the group stage, which concludes on June 24. While the coach noted that Neymar is making progress and working diligently on his rehabilitation, he is not yet deemed fit for competitive play, with hopes for a return to full training by next week.

This setback means Neymar will also likely miss Brazil's subsequent Group C matches against Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24, both crucial encounters as the Seleção aims to navigate the expanded 48-team tournament hosted across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Neymar's last appearance for the national team dates back almost three years to a World Cup qualifying victory over Uruguay in October 2023, underscoring a period of intermittent availability for the iconic attacker.