Brazil - Morocco live: World Cup 2026 first heavyweight clash in group stage

Brazil - Morocco live: World Cup 2026 first heavyweight clash in group stage Morocco faces Brazil in their World Cup 2026 opening match, with Group C's heavyweight clash pitting Achraf Hakimi's African underdogs against Vinicius and Brazil's five-time champions. Follow our blog as the tournament's first truly heavyweight encounter unfolds. Official lineups of Brazil - Morocco Brazil : Alisson - Ibañez, Marquinhos (c), Gabriel, Douglas Santos - Guimarães, Casemiro, Paqueta - Raphinha, Igor Thiago, Vinicius. Morocco : Bounou - Hakimi (c), Diop, Riad, Mazraoui - Bouaddi, El Aynaoui - Brahim Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss - Saibari. The World Cup 2026's first heavyweight clash will take place at MetLife stadium, the future venue of the final. It will pit Morocco, Africa's finalists, against Brazil, five-time world champions. Read moreWorld Cup 2026 - Schedule This is the first major test for each coach in their World Cup debut. Brazil's Carlo Ancelotti can rely on stars like FC Barcelona's Raphinha, runner-up in the 2024 Ballon d'Or, and Vinicius Junior, but not yet on Neymar who will miss the entire group stage. On the Moroccan side, Mohamed Ouahbi must manage without OM's central defender Nayef Aguerd and Betis Seville's winger Abde Ezzalzouli. (FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)