Brazil World Cup 2026 guide: Fixtures, prediction, key player and odds

It wouldn’t be a World Cup without Brazil, with the tournament’s most-successful team returning for a 23rd time. Despite their history with the World Cup, the Brazilians have only reached one semi-final in the last five editions, leaving fans desperate for glory.

That being said, Brazil have consistently reached at least the quarter final stage since 1990, another example of their pedigree and why they will always be considered favourites.

Raphinha, Marquinhos, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes all won league titles with their respective clubs this season, highlighting the experience and quality at Ancelotti’s disposal. With talent throughout the squad, expect Brazil to make a deep run in North America this summer.

Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker, Ederson, Weverton

Defenders: Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhaes, Gleison Bremer, Leo Pereira, Roger Ibanez, Wesley Franca, Danilo, Alex Sandro, Douglas Santos

Midfielders: Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes, Fabinho, Danilo, Lucas Paqueta

Forwards: Vinicius Jr, Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, Luiz Henrique, Gabriel Martinelli, Neymar, Endrick, Rayan, Igor Thiago

Brazil vs Morocco (11pm on June 13, MetLife Stadium)

Brazil vs Haiti (1:30am on June 20, Lincoln Financial Field)

Scotland vs Brazil (11pm on June 24, Hard Rock Stadium)

Brazil know how to navigate the early rounds of the World Cup – since 1990, they have at least reached the quarter-final stage. That will now require one more game thanks to FIFA increasing the World Cup to 48 teams. Brazil will be favourites in their group, with Morocco the biggest threats on paper. Expect Haiti and Scotland to be motivated by their first appearances at the World Cup for some time – and the potential to claim a big scalp.

If Brazil and England were to win their respective groups as expected, they would be on track to meet at the quarter-final stage. Reaching the last eight will be the bare minimum for Brazil, but getting to the semi-final for the first time since their embarrassing 7-1 loss at home to Germany in 2014 could be the limit of their powers.

Neymar’s call-up for a fourth World Cup was met by wild reactions from Brazil fans and media alike, but the transition to a new face of Brazilian football has already occurred. Neymar’s last inclusion in a Brazil squad came in 2023; Vinicius Jr has picked up the mantle of talented superstar on the wing for the Selecao.

With the amount of talent coursing through the Brazil squad, star players must always learn to co-exist. Vinicius Jr has perhaps struggled with the concept at club level, having shared a pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappe for Real Madrid. However, representing Brazil at a World Cup comes with an entirely heightened level of pressure, and fans’ expectations will largely be pinned on Vinicius Jr.

To win the World Cup: 7/1

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