Brazil Begin World Cup Campaign Against Morocco as Scotland Return to Global Stage
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti looks on as the five-time world champions prepare to begin their World Cup campaign against Morocco in New Jersey.
Brazil begin their World Cup journey against Morocco in a blockbuster clash as Scotland return to the global stage for the first time since 1998 in a packed day of action at the expanded 48-team tournament. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Five-time world champions Brazil kick off their FIFA World Cup push on Saturday with a pretty big showdown against Morocco, a standout of the tournament’s stretched-out group stage.
The game in New Jersey puts South America heavyweights up against Morocco, the 2022 World Cup surprise semi-finalists, as the competition starts its first day with four fixtures under the new 48-team format, yeah.
Elsewhere, Scotland finally return to the World Cup after what feels like forever, last appearing in 1998, and they’ll line up in Boston against tournament debutants Haiti. Also on the schedule, 2022 hosts Qatar play Switzerland in Santa Clara, while Australia take on Turkey in Vancouver.
The opener on Friday looked wild, co-hosts the United States went out and thumped Paraguay 4-1 in Los Angeles, in front of a crowd bigger than 70,000. The stands even had Hollywood faces like Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise, plus football legend David Beckham in the mix.
Brazil Chasing Their Next Taste of Glory
Now the spotlight swings back to Brazil, who are trying to end a 24-year stretch without another World Cup crown.
Even if Brazil aren’t quite ruling the world football headlines the way they used to, the Selecao are still among the sport’s most admired teams. Their hopes have been handed to veteran Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti, who makes his World Cup debut here, on the international stage.
“It’s a new experience, and a new responsibility to represent the country of football,” Ancelotti said before the kickoff.
“We have a team capable of competing with every team in the world. We have quality, experience and complete confidence that we can challenge anyone.”
Brazil’s road to the tournament wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. In qualifying, they stumbled in a tough campaign, losing six of their 18 matches and finishing fifth overall.
On top of that, injuries have poked holes in the setup. Rodrygo and Estevao are ruled out, while Neymar won’t be available for the opening match as he continues recovering.
“Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible,” Ancelotti said.
With Neymar missing, the added weight lands on Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior. He heads into the tournament after a sharp season where he found the net 21 times for his club. Barcelona forward Raphinha is also expected to be a key piece in Brazil’s forward plans.
Morocco Wanting to Stack on a Historic Run
Morocco grabbed worldwide attention four years ago, when they became the first African country to reach a World Cup semi-final.
The Atlas Lions come into the competition with fresh belief under coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who stepped in March after Walid Regragui left the role.
“It’s a match that will show us where we stand, but I believe we’re in a good position to begin this competition,” Ouahbi said.
“Many people say this is not the Brazil of old, but it’s still Brazil.”
Morocco’s buildup also got a lift after they were awarded the Africa Cup of Nations title, with the final ending in a pretty controversial way. Senegal had initially grabbed a 1-0 extra-time win, yet later had the trophy taken away after they walked off the pitch in protest, over what was seen as a late penalty call.
Scotland Back at the World Cup, Big Time Again
Scotland are back in football’s biggest event after a 28-year absence, and they carry the dreams of their loud supporters, the Tartan Army.
A lot of the focus will center on Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, who turned into a national hero after that outrageous overhead-kick goal in Scotland’s 4-2 win over Denmark last November. That result sealed qualification for the team.
For Haiti, this tournament is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make noise on the world stage and offer pride, for a nation dealing with major challenges beyond the pitch.
Australia Start With a Hard Turkish Reality Check
Australia begin their campaign against a solid Turkey outfit, and coach Tony Popovic says he’s confident his team can compete even if they’re being treated like the underdogs.
“We believe we can punch above our weight,” Popovic said ahead of the match.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, now expanded to 48 teams for the first time, will wrap up with the final in New Jersey on July 19.
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