Brazil

Dorival’s rebuild starts now

Brazil’s 2026 squad mixes veterans like Vinícius Júnior (26 by tournament time) with unproven talent. Alisson and Marquinhos anchor the defense, but midfield lacks a clear heir to Casemiro. Dorival favors a 4-3-3 with overlapping fullbacks — a gamble given Danilo’s age (35 in 2026) and no natural left-back successor to Alex Sandro. The Neymar era is over; Endrick (20 by 2026) must deliver immediately.

Group stage ghosts from 2014

Brazil’s 7-1 humiliation to Germany in Belo Horizonte still casts a shadow. They’ve exited three straight World Cups to European teams in knockout games, all after extra time or penalties. The 2026 group draw could pit them against Serbia (2018/2022 group foes) or Switzerland — teams that stifled their attack. Dorival’s side must break the pattern early.

Why 2026 is different

For the first time since 1978, Brazil enters without a Ballon d’Or contender. Their attack relies on Vinícius’ speed and Rodrygo’s creativity rather than a classic No. 9. The expanded format helps — third-place teams can advance — but Brazil’s fans expect dominance. They’ll play at least two games in US NFL stadiums, where narrow pitches could limit their wing play.

Group standings

#	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Brazil	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Haiti	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Morocco	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Scotland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Fixtures & results

Match	Date	Group	Score	Status
Brazil vs MoroccoEstadio New York/New Jersey	Sat, Jun 13, 2026 · 23:00 ET	c	–	Scheduled
Brazil vs HaitiEstadio Philadelphia	Sat, Jun 20, 2026 · 01:30 ET	c	–	Scheduled
Scotland vs BrazilEstadio Miami	Wed, Jun 24, 2026 · 23:00 ET	c	–	Scheduled

Key players

• NeymarForward