World Cup 2026: All you need to know about Morocco’s opponent Brazil ahead of today’s match

Morocco will face Brazil in the opening round of Group C at the 2026 World Cup on Saturday at 11 p.m. Morocco time at MetLife Stadium in New York-New Jersey.

This is the only group-stage fixture featuring two teams ranked inside the FIFA top 10, with Brazil currently 6th and Morocco 7th in the world rankings.

The match comes exactly 28 years after the Atlas Lions met Seleção in the group stage of the 1998 World Cup in France, at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, where Brazil won 3-0 before more than 35,000 fans.

Yet, in 2023, Morocco won the last meeting 2-1 in a friendly.

The Morocco-Brazil clash is expected to be one of the toughest in the group stage. Morocco arrive as 2022 World Cup semi-finalists, aiming for another historic run, while Brazil are chasing a sixth world title and their first since 2002 in South Korea and Japan.

This match could decide who finishes top of Group C, with both teams expected to beat Haiti and Scotland comfortably.

Brazil have never missed a World Cup edition and hold a strong record in opening matches.

Across 22 World Cup openers, the Seleção have lost only twice, namely against Uruguay in 1950 and Spain in 1954.

Since then, they have remained unbeaten in World Cup opening matches for more than 70 years, with 17 wins and three draws.

Brazil will make their 23rd World Cup appearance this year, having first featured in 1930 and winning the tournament five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002).

In 2022, the Seleção topped Group G with wins over Serbia and Switzerland before being knocked out in the quarter-finals by Croatia on penalties after a 1-1 draw following extra time.

According to Opta Analyst, Brazil are favorites to beat Morocco in their World Cup opener, with a 57.7% chance of victory, while draws are at 23.5% and Morocco wins at 18.8%.