Brazil will start the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage without forward Neymar against Morocco, with Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti confirming the player is not fit for the opening match. Multiple reports say Neymar is sidelined by a calf injury and that he is expected to miss the June 13–14 fixture against Morocco. Ancelotti indicates Neymar is recovering and could resume full training next week, leaving open the possibility of his availability for later Group C games.
While outlets consistently agree on the decision to rule Neymar out of the opener, at least one report adds uncertainty about his immediate follow-up match fitness. UOL is cited as suggesting Neymar may also miss Brazil’s next Group C game against Haiti on June 19 due to a lack of match sharpness. Other coverage does not confirm this, and Ancelotti is described as ruling out any squad replacement. The overall timeline presented across sources places Neymar’s return hopes on training progression rather than immediate match selection, with Brazil continuing to monitor his rehabilitation before later group-stage fixtures.
