Group C's heavyweight clash arrives on opening Saturday. Brazil, the five-time champions now under Carlo Ancelotti, face Morocco, the 2022 semi-finalists who made history as the first African team to reach the World Cup's last four. The venue is the future final venue itself: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford.
Why: Brazil are not a 1.40 favourite anymore. Morocco have a genuine generation of European-club talent across the pitch. But Brazil under Ancelotti have looked more organised than they did under Tite or Dorival Junior in the previous cycle. Vinicius is in Champions League form, Raphinha has scored in every recent international, and Marquinhos at the back is in his prime. Morocco's defensive setup will be tough but Brazil will eventually break through. 1.75 still leaves edge against the implied 57%.
Vinicius is in the best form of his international career. 5 goals in last 7 starts for Brazil, including the late winner against Argentina in November. He thrives in matchups against full-backs who sit narrow, and Morocco's Achraf Hakimi will be tucking inside to support Amrabat in midfield, leaving the lane open for Vinicius to attack at speed. Typical Anytime price 1.85.
Amrabat was the breakout star of Morocco's 2022 semi-final run, anchoring midfield with brutal tackling. He is also the most-carded Morocco player in qualifying with 5 yellow cards in 10 matches. Facing Vinicius, Rodrygo and Raphinha in transition is the recipe for tactical fouls. Amrabat to be carded typically prices around 2.10.
The match is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Built in 2010 as the home of the NFL's New York Giants and Jets, capacity 82,500 for soccer configuration, the largest of any venue in the New York area.
MetLife will host eight matches at the 2026 World Cup, the most of any venue, culminating in the FIFA World Cup Final on 19 July. The stadium will also host five group games (including this Brazil vs Morocco fixture), the third-place playoff, and the semi-finals. It is the centre of the tournament's American program.
Brazil are the most successful nation in World Cup history: five titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002), four runner-up finishes, the only nation to have appeared at every single World Cup. Their last title was 23 years ago, however, and the wait has become a national obsession.
The major change for 2026 is the manager. Carlo Ancelotti took over from Dorival Junior in May 2025 after lengthy negotiations, becoming the first non-Brazilian to manage the Selecao at a major tournament. The Italian's CV (four Champions League titles, league titles in five different countries) was unprecedented for a Brazil hire.
Something cool: Brazil hold the record for most consecutive World Cup appearances at 22. They are the only country to have played in every World Cup since the inaugural 1930 tournament. The 2026 edition extends the streak.
Morocco's 2022 World Cup run rewrote African football history. Walid Regragui's side eliminated Belgium, Spain and Portugal en route to becoming the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final, where they lost narrowly to eventual champions France. Their defensive organisation (just five goals conceded in seven matches) was the tournament's tactical story.
The squad is mostly intact for 2026, but with one major change at the top. Mohamed Ouahbi replaced Regragui as manager in March 2026 after a difficult AFCON 2025 campaign. The former youth coach inherits a tactical framework that already works and adds his own tweaks rather than starting over.
Something cool: Morocco have qualified for seven World Cups and reached the knockouts in three of them (1986 Round of 16, 2022 semi-finals, expected 2026). They were the first African team to win a knockout match at a World Cup (1986 vs Spain on penalties... wait, no, that was 2022 vs Spain on penalties; 1986 they lost in extra time to West Germany).
Ancelotti's choice of Marquinhos over the returning Neymar for the captaincy underlined the new coach's philosophy: leadership through stability, not star power. Marquinhos has been captain since 2020, has 90+ caps, and is arguably the world's best ball-playing centre-back in his prime years.
Club career: Roma (debut 2012) to PSG since 2013, where he has captained the club, won 9 Ligue 1 titles, and reached the Champions League final once (2020, lost to Bayern Munich). He has played more than 500 matches for PSG.
Tactically the perfect captain for Ancelotti's setup: calm under pressure, technical defender, and the kind of voice that holds dressing rooms together. The 2026 World Cup is his fourth (2014, 2018, 2022, 2026) and likely his last.
Hakimi is the most decorated active Moroccan footballer. 95 caps, captain since 2023, club career through Real Madrid academy, Borussia Dortmund (on loan), Inter Milan, and PSG since 2021 where he is teammates with his international opponent Marquinhos.
At 27 he is in his absolute prime as a marauding attacking full-back. His positional flexibility lets him play full-back, wing-back or auxiliary winger depending on Morocco's tactical setup. His penalty in the 2022 World Cup shootout against Spain was the iconic moment of that knockout run.
Hakimi's matchup against his PSG teammates will be one of the storylines of the match. The Vinicius vs Hakimi tactical duel down Morocco's right is the fixture's headline contest.
Brazil come in on a strong run under Ancelotti: 7 wins from 9 across qualifying and friendlies, including a 1-0 over Argentina in November 2025. Vinicius has been the consistent goalscorer (5 in 7), with Raphinha and Rodrygo also contributing.
Morocco have been less convincing since their 2022 run, but qualified comfortably for the 2026 World Cup through CAF Group E. The post-AFCON 2025 transition under Ouahbi has been bumpy: 2 wins from 4 in pre-tournament friendlies. The defensive structure that propelled them in 2022 remains intact.
Based on each side's most recent friendly. Final XIs confirm one hour before kick-off; this page will update.
| Date | Match | Venue | Preview |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun | Brazil vs Morocco | East Rutherford | This page |
| 13 Jun | Haiti vs Scotland | Foxborough | Preview → |
| 19 Jun | Brazil vs Haiti | Philadelphia | Preview → |
| 19 Jun | Scotland vs Morocco | Foxborough | Preview → |
| 24 Jun | Morocco vs Haiti | Atlanta | Preview → |
| 24 Jun | Scotland vs Brazil | Miami | Preview → |
All four teams, qualification scenarios and BetBot predictions: See full Group C overview →
Saturday 13 June 2026 at 18:00 ET (00:00 CEST Sunday 14 June, 22:00 Casablanca). MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford. The match is Group C's headline opener.
Centre-back Marquinhos (PSG), captain since 2020, with 90+ caps. Coach Carlo Ancelotti kept him as captain despite Neymar's return to the squad.
Right-back Achraf Hakimi (PSG), 95 caps, captain since 2023. He and Marquinhos are PSG club teammates.
Historic. Morocco became the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final by eliminating Belgium, Spain (on penalties) and Portugal. They lost 2-0 to eventual champions France in the semi-finals.
Carlo Ancelotti became the first foreign coach of Brazil at a major tournament when he took over in May 2025. His CV includes four Champions League titles and league titles in five countries, an unprecedented hire for the Selecao.
BetBot auto-posts daily tips, the anytime goalscorer pick and live in-play alerts for every World Cup match. Free, 30-second setup.
Add BetBot to Discord