Brazil Sweat Over Neymar's Availability After Fresh Injury Concern

Brazil did not have the perfect start to their World Cup campaign after only managing a draw against Group C rivals Morocco.

Carlo Ancelotti's squad conceded an early goal, and it took a brilliant strike from Vinicius Junior for the Seleção to draw level with the African champions.

Brazil now need a win against Haiti in their next match if they want to put themselves in a favourable position to qualify for the Round of 16. Scotland currently sit top of the group after their 1-0 victory over Haiti.

While the team knows what it needs to do on the pitch, Brazil has also received a disappointing update regarding Neymar, who had been expected to be fit for the country's second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Brazil to Wait Longer for Neymar Return

"Neymar is working very hard to recover as soon as possible," head coach Ancelotti said before the Morocco match.

The Italian had made his intentions clear when explaining why the Santos forward was included in the squad despite his calf injury.

"Our expectation is that he will recover and rejoin the group next week. When we included him in the roster, we added him for his technical abilities, which are indisputable. But we also want him for his experience and the example he sets for the young players on the team."

However, in disappointing news for Brazil, reports in the country claim that the former Barcelona and PSG star is expected to miss the remainder of the group stage.

According to those reports, the medical staff expect Neymar to be fully fit only for the knockout rounds.

Brazil face Haiti next in Group C before wrapping up their group-stage campaign against Scotland on June 24.

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 6:00 AM.