Brazil are set to begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a group-stage fixture against Morocco. The North African side arrive with a strong recent pedigree, having reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup after notable victories over Portugal and Spain. That performance established Morocco as a competitive force on the international stage, and they will aim to deliver another credible showing in this tournament.
Despite Morocco’s recent achievements, Brazil are regarded as the stronger side ahead of this encounter. The five-time world champions, however, will be without Neymar, who is unavailable for selection. His absence necessitates adjustments in the attacking structure, although the Brazilian squad remains well-resourced across all areas of the pitch.
In Neymar’s likely absence from the starting eleven, Matheus Cunha is expected to feature in the central attacking role. Supporting him in advanced positions, Raphinha is set to operate on the right flank, while Vinícius Júnior is expected to occupy the left. Lucas Paquetá is likely to take up the role of the primary playmaker, positioned centrally behind the forward line.
In midfield, Casemiro is anticipated to partner Bruno Guimarães in a defensive capacity, providing balance between ball recovery and distribution. The defensive line is expected to include Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães as centre-backs, with Danilo and Douglas positioned as full-backs. Alisson Becker is projected to start in goal.
Morocco, meanwhile, are also dealing with injury concerns affecting key players. Central defender Nayef Aguerd is unavailable due to a pubalgia issue, leading to the expected inclusion of Issa Diop and Chadi Riad in central defence. Noussair Mazraoui remains a doubt because of a shoulder injury. Additionally, Ez Abde has sustained a moderate knee ligament injury and is ruled out for the entire group stage.
The probable starting line-ups for both teams are outlined below:
| Team | Probable Starting XI |
|---|---|
| Brazil | Alisson; Douglas, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Danilo; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães; Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Lucas Paquetá; Igor Thiago |
| Morocco | Bono; Mazraoui, Issa Diop, Chadi Riad, Achraf Hakimi; Nabil El Aynaoui, Amina Bouaddi; Bilal El Khannous, Azzedine Ounahi, Brahim Díaz; Ilias Saibari |
Both teams enter the match with defined tactical structures despite injury setbacks. Brazil’s depth allows them to maintain a competitive line-up even without Neymar, while Morocco will rely on adjustments in defence and midfield to compensate for unavailable players. The fixture marks an important opening test for both sides in the group stage of the tournament.
