Neymar Ruled Out of Brazil’s World Cup Opener Against Morocco

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Neymar will miss Brazil’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Morocco due to a fresh injury sustained after his squad selection.

The highly anticipated fixture will take place at MetLife Stadium on June 13.

Despite his absence, Ancelotti emphasized that Neymar will remain part of the 26-man squad and will not be replaced.

The coach expressed optimism that the forward could recover in time to feature in Brazil’s subsequent group stage matches against Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24.

‘Neymar is an important player for us, and we expect him to rejoin the team next week,’ Ancelotti said, underscoring the veteran’s continued significance to Brazil’s campaign.