The Meadowlands’ first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to begin later this week, on June 13, as Brazil and Morocco face off against one another. Both teams will be playing in Group C, which features the two of them, in addition to Haiti and Scotland. As clubs with a greater legacy in the tournament, Brazil and Morocco are the two teams favored to advance out of the group stages.
Brazil
With five FIFA World Cup titles, Brazil is the winningest squad in the tournament’s history. The team’s most recent win came over two decades ago, in 2022, leaving the team hungry to claim another title. The team’s best finish since came in 2014, when the team finished in fourth place in a tournament that featured Brazil as the host country.
Brazil is currently ranked as the sixth best team in the world according to FIFA, with some of the world’s top players on their squad. From Vinícius Júnior to Raphinha to Neymar, there is a wide array of talent on their roster. With such great talent on their squad, Brazil is entering the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the favored teams to win the entire tournament.
Morocco
Unlike Brazil, Morocco has never won the FIFA World Cup, however, the team made its best run during its most recent appearance in the tournament, which came in 2022. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Morocco finished in fourth place, marking the furthest that an African nation has made it in the tournament.
Between the 2022 and 2026 tournament, Morocco recorded 19 consecutive wins in international games. This marked the longest winning streak for any national team, a streak that lasted for over a year. Their unforeseen stretch of dominance has Morocco currently ranked as the seventh best team in the world by FIFA, which is the highest ranking that the squad has ever held. With the pressure from their 2022 tournament run and 19-match win streak, Morocco has high expectations to live up to for this tournament, but hopes to continue their dominance.
History of Brazil vs. Morocco
Brazil and Morocco have only faced off against one another a handful of times, competing three times over the past three decades. The countries first time meeting came in 1997, when Brazil defeated Morocco by a score of 2-0 in an international friendly match. Their second match came less than a year later in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, in which Brazil defeated Morocco by a score of 3-0 in a group stage match.
Following their face-off in 1998, the teams did not meet up for over two decades, until facing off in March 2023 for an international friendly match. In the match, Morocco got its first win over Brazil, winning by a score of 2-1.
On June 13, at 6 p.m., Brazil and Morocco will face each other for the fourth time at New York New Jersey Stadium, with Morocco looking to even their lifetime record and Brazil hoping to get off to a solid start for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Ranked as the sixth and seventh best teams in the world respectively, both teams are expected to make a run in the tournament and will hope to live up to those expectations.
