World Cup 2026 Group C
GROUP C
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
| Brazil | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| Morocco | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Scotland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Haiti | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
Sean O'Conor
[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
Brazil
Still the most famous national team in the world and the one we always look to when we are picking a potential winner, we should remember Brazil have got no further than the last eight in four of the previous five World Cups and have lifted the cup for almost a quarter-century.
They did reach the semis at home in 2014, but were humiliated 7-1 by Germany in Belo Horizonte, puncturing their magic bubble for good apparently. And yet, the glow from the Pele years remains strong in people's minds.
Recent form has been poor. They made it to America via their worst qualification campaign ever, finishing a full ten points behind old rivals Argentina, who beat them at the Maracanã in Rio. It had started off all right in September 2023 with a 5-1 hammering of Bolivia but the following month saw a home draw with baseball-loving Venezuela, the only CONMEBOL nation never to have made it to the World Cup. By the end of the campaign, the Seleçao had lost five of its nine away matches and finished a dismal fifth, which in 2022 would have meant playoffs as opposed to automatic passage to the finals.
So on paper nobody should be rushing to tip the green and gold to lift the trophy. And yet, the last time the World Cup was held in the USA, Brazil won it, mastering the conditions and talented opponents to finally edge past Italy on penalties in the final.
They did not win any points for entertainment in 1994 but they came home with gold. Mindful of that triumph they will enter this year's tournament with confidence, in spite of their qualifying woes. The other ace in their pack of course is Carlo Ancelotti, one of the world's canniest coaches who commands worldwide respect for getting results from his quiet leadership.
He might not have any Brazilian in him and eschews any talk of team identity or ideology but his effective pragmatism is perhaps just what is needed for a country desperate to regain the trophy they believe spiritually belongs to them. Ancelotti took over in May of last year, since when the Seleçao won three and drew one to make it to the finals. Recent friendlies have been inconclusive though: Wins against Croatia, Senegal and South Korea, a draw with Tunisia and losses to France and Japan.
With Neymar in ropey form and unlikely to even feature, the team's talisman is now unquestionably Vinicius Junior, whose strength and powerful attacking runs from the left side will trouble any defence.
In goal, Alisson, if completely recovered from injury, is a reassuring presence, as is veteran Casemiro in the middle and PSG centre back Marquinhos. There is a wealth of attacking firepower as well beyond Vinicius Junior, from Raphina and Mateus Cunha to Gabriel Martinelli and Endrick, and a couple of wild cards - Bournemouth's Rayan and Brentford's Igor Thiago. Any manager who can afford to omit João Pedro must be spoilt for choice.
Plus, after much debate, there is Neymar. The former Seleçao star has taken a rocky road since leaving PSG in 2023, the last year he played for Brazil, and aged 34, is close to the end of his career. This World Cup is generally considered to be his last chance for green and gold glory but having made the squad, a last hurrah is possible.
Picking a waning star over Pedro, ten years his junior, who scored 15 in the Premier League in 2025-26 and won his club's Player of the Season award, may appear to be a heart over head choice, or even one taken under exterior pressure. It certainly is a risky move by Ancelotti, but one that was greeted with enormous cheers at the squad announcement. The Brazilian media will be all over Neymar at the finals of course, and the manager, who has refused to confirm he will play him, will have to deal with the fevered coverage around the former Barcelona and PSG star man, both positive and negative.
With such a panoply of talent in his hands, Ancelotti will certainly be tempted to play four attackers in a 4-2-4, so if we are looking at how they could come unstuck, then it could be if their midfield duo are outpassed or outrun if the wide men do not track back in time to help.
The midfield is thus key with 34-year-old Casemiro holding it together with his clever passing, but if Ancelotti does not pick the yard-covering Bruno Guimaraes, Brazil could be somewhat vulnerable in the centre. To cover them there is also Botafogo's Danilo, recently of Nottingham Forest, and former Liverpool man Fabinho.
Brazil's attack and defence can sometimes appear to be two separate entities but in 1994 they won playing 4-4-2 in the oppressive American heat, which will be back in June. So, feasibly the 4-2-4 could morph into a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 with Lucas Paquetá playing in midfield and Raphina starting further back on the right side of midfield to reduce the workload on Casemiro.
At the back, the likely combination Flamengo's full back pair of Alex Sandro and Danilo are no slouches, but not world-class either; the days of world-class Brazilian full backs bombing forward like Cafu, Roberto Carlos and Marcelo did, are no more as they have wingers to sprint up the flanks instead.
Marquinhos (PSG) and the towering, tough-tackling Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal) are the reliable first-choice centre-back pairing but with both involved in the Champions League Final, there are worries one or both could pick up a knock, with their replacements not quite at their level.
Their group is manageable enough to qualify comfortably, but there will be stiffer tests ahead. The world's most famous team are mindful that since they last won the World Cup in 2002, every time they have met a European side in the knockout stages they have been eliminated.
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Brazil Kit 1 |
Brazil Kit 2 |
Brazil v Morocco 13th June, New York
Brazil v Haiti, 20th June, Philadelphia
Brazil v Scotland, 24th June, Miami
Coach
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti
Record
Best World Cup: Winners in 1978, 1986 and 2022.
Formation
4-2-4
Men to watch: Vinicius Jr, Mateus Cunha, Endrick.
With their quiver of offensive weapons, at least we can expect some wow moments for the watching millions. An elimination at the quarter-final stage would make sense given their last few World Cups and wobbly form coming into this one, but with Ancelotti at the helm and an American setting where they have struck gold before, there is a chance they could even get to the final again.
How they qualified
Brazil finished fifth in the CONMEBOL qualifying table.
On the sidelines
Chelsea's teenage star Estevao will have to wait another four years after tearing his hamstring, while Real Madrid's Rodrygo misses out through an ACL injury. Such was Ancelotti's embarrassment of forward riches that he did not call up Chelsea's Joao Pedro, Nottingham Forest's Igor Jesus or Tottenham's Richarlison. In midfield there was no room either for Wolves' João Gomes or Newcastle's Joelinton.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio)
Defenders: Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris St-Germain), Gabriel (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St. Petersburg)
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo)
Strikers: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Luiz Henrique (Zenit St. Petersburg), Neymar (Santos), Rayan (Bournemouth)
Morocco
Morocco dock in America upon the crest of a wave.
Having mined the Moroccan diaspora (19 of their recent squad of 29 were born outside of their country), the Atlas Lions are now roaring on the biggest stages as a serious challenger for honours.
Ranked eighth in the world, their highest ever, they are also by default the reigning African champions having won the Cup of Nations in January in a crazy final against Senegal (who scored the game's only goal). After the match, the African Federation awarded Morocco their first continental crown since 1976 because Senegal had voluntarily left the field in protest against the award of a last-gasp penalty (which Morocco missed anyway).
Their confidence had been riding high since finishing fourth at Qatar 2022, the first time an African nation had reached the semi finals. But the wave of euphoria had subsided by the time they hosted the AFCON tournament this year and 'lost' the final. Hitherto garlanded coach Walid Regragui quit the hot seat in March after four years at the helm, claiming the team needed a new leader with new ideas, but in truth too hurt by fan criticism for not winning AFCON on home soil without external help.
His replacement, Belgian-born Mohamed Ouahbi so far seems to be alternating between a possession-based style that makes big use of the field with wing-backs thrown into attack and their traditional reliance on rapid transitions and the counter attack. 2026 has seen them tested against South American opposition and Brazil, only two places higher in the FIFA rankings, will be worried after the Atlas Lions beat Paraguay 2-1 and drew 1-1 with Ecuador. The match between the two group favourites in New York thus has the ring of a Broadway opening night where anything could happen.
The Moroccans are well organised and seem to have done their set piece homework but although they are a front foot team they can struggle to break down massed defences. Their skipper, PSG's storming full back Achraf Hakimi remains their star man, as dominant for his country as he is for his champion club.
There is a temptation to play everything through him and the other big club star ahead of him on the right, Real Madrid's Brahmin Diaz, but the other flank has danger too through Manchester United's Noussair Mazraoui and Real Betis' Abdel Ezzalzouli. A breakout star from 2022, Azzedine Ounahi has changed clubs three times but not shone as brightly since Qatar. Aged 26, the midfielder has another chance to impress the world.
A late entry to the set-up is the highly-rated 18 year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who has only just pledged his allegiance to his parents' country having represented France from U-16 level up.
Sticking the ball in the net is still largely up to Olimpiakos' Ayoub El Kaabi, who has netted 20 in 55 appearances for his country and been voted the best foreign player in the Greek league for the past two seasons. An alternative is Al Ittihad's Youssef En-Nesri, four years his junior, who has scored in the previous two World Cups.
Another ace in their pack is the man at the back, Yassine Bounou, who plays for Al-Hilal after 11 years in La Liga, most notably with Sevilla. Twice second in the FIFA Best Goalkeeper Awards, the Canadian-born custodian has a knack at making important saves, most recently in his club's run to the quarter finals of last summer's Club World Cup.
It is hard to see Morocco not getting out of the group given their form and the hot conditions should prove no problem to the North Africans. They will face stiff opposition further on however and are not quite at the level of the top Europeans. A semi-final finish in 2022 has left expectations unreasonably high.
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Morocco Kit 1 |
Morocco Kit 2 |
Morocco v Brazil, 13th June, New York
Morocco v Scotland, 19th June, Boston
Morocco v Haiti, 24th June, Atlanta
Coach
Mohamed Ouahbi
Record
Best World Cup: Semi-Finalists 2022.
Formation
4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1
Men to watch: Achraf Hakimi, Brahmin Diaz, Ayoub El Kaabi.
Morocco are rated 150/1 to win the World Cup, about 20th of the qualifiers. That seems harsh given their recent form. They may not make the last four again but are a good bet for the last eight.
How they qualified
CAF Group E winners, winning eight out of eight, scoring 20 and conceding two.
On the sidelines
If he gets to take a penalty, Brahmin Diaz will be on his best behaviour and not attempt another panenka, which he missed in the tumultuous AFCON final.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal), Munir Mohamedi (RS Berkane), Ahmed Tagnaouti (Royal Armed Forces)
Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV Eindhoven), Youssef Belammari (Al Ahly), Nayef Aguerd (Marseille), Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace), Issa Diop (West Ham United), Redouane Halhal (KV Mechelen), Achraf Hakimi (Paris St-Germain), Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk)
Midfielders: Samir El Mourabet (Strasbourg), Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille), Neil El Aynaoui (Roma), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis), Azzedine Ounahi (Girona), Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven)
Strikers: Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiacos), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid), Yassine Gessime (Strasbourg), Ayoub Amaimouni-Echghouyabe (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Haiti
The Grenadiers are back in the finals for the first time in more than half a century.
The presence of two CONCACAF automatic qualifiers for the World Cup came in lucky for the little Caribbean nation. In the second round, they finished second behind fellow qualifiers Curaçao, who beat them 5-1, to make it to the next stage. In the third and final round they topped their group impressively, notably defeating Honduras and 2014 World Cup quarter-finalists Costa Rica.
Haiti deserve applause from all of us not only for qualifying for the first time in 52 years but also for uniquely having played all their home games at foreign venues due to the political crisis at home and the lack of international flights. Fans were using the hashtag ouvépayia (open the country) when the national team kept playing away in qualifiers, so while football is overrated as a national unifier, it could still at least bring a couple of weeks of much-needed peace to one of the world's most cursed nations this summer.
The nation of 11.5 million could do with something to smile about, and the only bullets fired into the air on the 18th of November last year were shots of joy as the team made it to the States, coincidentally the anniversary of Haiti gaining independence from the French in 1803.
Haiti are universally tipped to finish fourth in their group but as with all minnows they have a lack of expectation in their favour. They will also have a climactic familiarity advantage over Scotland, having grown up in the humid Caribbean.
In charge of upsetting the odds is a 53 year-old Frenchman Sebastien Migné who was assistant to Cameroon in the last World Cup and has coached three African national teams. He has forged a hard-working outfit, whose strong running and teamwork helped them top their qualifying group. They may play cavalier football at times though - shipping five away to Curaçao, three in Costa Rica and three in Honduras.
They have a duo of very experienced men in the side - Duckens Nazon, now playing for Iran's Esteghlala but formerly of Coventry. Oldham and St Mirren, and Bastia goalkeeper Johny Placide who have 80 caps a-piece. Nazon has an impressive 44 goals, which makes him Haiti's all-time top scorer and he was the top gunner in CONCACAF qualifying with six goals.
Assisting him in attack will be FC Dallas winger Don Deedson Louicius, who netted four in qualifying, and Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor, another French-born recent recruit.
Wolves' Jean-Ricner Bellegarde will be the No.10 and the fulcrum of the attack, with Almere's Ruben Providence on the left. In central midfield, Leverton Pierre's strong tackling will be blended with Josue Casimir's forward forays. An alternative is Philadelphia Union's Danley Jean Jacques, who will be hoping to play on familiar soil against Brazil in the city of brotherly love.
In defence, they will need all the nous of the pairing of Ricardo Adé, who plays for Ecuador's LDU Quito and has won 57 caps over a decade and Hannes Delcroix, who plays for Lugano in Switzerland. Haiti's backline will be tested like never before by Scotland, the Seleçao and the Atlas Lions.
In their two 2026 friendlies in Canada, they lost 1-0 to Tunisia and drew 1-1 with Iceland at BMO Field, results that do not suggest they will be whipping boys in the summer. Tackling Peru in Florida eight days before the Scotland clash will be a bigger test.
Nobody expects them to take points in America but equally no team should disrespect them or their forward threat.
Two of the squad's surnames are Experience and Providence, two words which will chime in Haitian ears in what will be a memorable summer for them. 52 years is a long time to wait for your country to be back at the World Cup.
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Haiti Kit 1 |
Haiti Kit 2 |
Haiti v Scotland 13th June, Boston
Haiti v Brazil, 19th June, Philadelphia
Haiti v Morocco, 24th June, Atlanta
Coach
Sébastien Migné
Record
First round in 1974.
Formation
4-2-3-1
Men to watch: Duckens Nazan, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Wilson Isidor, Danley Jean-Jacques.
Odds on Haiti winning the World Cup are between 1000/1 and 3000/1. It is safe to say they will be going out in the first round again, even with the help of any Vodou rites.
How they qualified
CONCACAF Group C winners.
On the sidelines
Migné must be the only coach in World Cup history never to have set foot in the country he has managed. Another nugget in his CV is the season he spent as a player at Leyton Orient in 1997-'98.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Johnny Placide (Bastia), Alexandre Pierre (Sochaux), Josue Duverger (FC Cosmos Koblenz)
Defenders: Carlens Arcus (Angers), Wilguens Pauguain (Zulte Waregem), Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs), Martin Expérience (Nancy), Jean-Kevin Duverne (KAA Gent), Ricardo Ade (LDU Quito), Hannes Delcroix (Lugano), Keeto Thermoncy (Young Boys Berne)
Midfielders: Leverton Pierre (Vizela), Carl-Fred Sainthe (El Paso Locomotive), Jean-Jacques Danley (Philadelphia Union), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Wolves), Pierre Woodenski (Violette), Dominique Simon (Tatran Presov)
Strikers: Louicius Deedson (Dallas), Ruben Providence (Almere City), Josue Casimir (Auxerre), Derrick Etienne (Toronto), Wilson Isidor (Sunderland), Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal), Frantzdy Pierrot (Caykur Rizespor), Yassin Fortune (Vizela), Lenny Joseph (Ferencvaros)
Scotland
If the neutral fan had a wee smile when they realised the Tartan Army, about the world's best national team fan base, would be at the World Cup after a 28 year absence, the Scottish supporters must have had a Highland fling with jigs and reels.
The un-kilted streets of Boston and Miami will echo to the sound of bagpipes and beer-swilling men with sporrans singing "No Scotland, No Party" while they revel in just being there and making friends. I fondly recall the bonhomie of Scotland fans at a European Championship finals game and how a number of them were not even watching the match, such was their blissful revelry.
As for the team though, the men in blue are hungry to go where no Scot has gone before - into the knockout stages, and the expanded 2026 tournament gives them their best hope of that yet. Three points from their opener against Haiti seems a must, while a showdown with the Seleçao in humid Florida on the 24th of June appears a no-win situation, leaving the clash with Morocco in Boston sandwiched between as their Waterloo.
That looks like a must-watch and although the North Africans are ranked 35 places above the Scots, Steve Clarke's men will have plenty of fight in them. A point might be enough to take them to the Round of 32 as eight of the twelve third-placed countries from the first round go through.
Scotland's draw has set the bells of memory ringing - they were sent home from their last World Cup following a 3-0 loss to Morocco in 1998, while a 4-1 defeat to Brazil in 1982 was unforgettable for David Narey giving them an unexpected lead before Zico curled a textbook 'Brazilian' free-kick past a static Alan Rough in the Scottish goal.
Although Haiti is an unknown adversary, Scots fans will worry about a repeat of the last time they faced a team from the Caribbean or Central America, Costa Rica, who beat them at Italia '90.
Their main man is unquestionably Scott McTominay, a regular substitute at Old Trafford but a revelation at Napoli, winning Serie A's Player of the Season award in 2024-25 along with the Scudetto. His confidence has carried into his national team displays and his spectacular bicycle kick against Denmark, which sealed qualification, will go down as one of the great Scottish goals of all time.
With his blond mane, the midfielder will be a marked man in America, but he will have support on the left from another titan in John McGinn, whose muscular endeavours have hauled his club Aston Villa to the Europa League final and Champions League qualification this season.
The third keystone of the side is left-back and skipper Andy Robertson, whose wing-back raids became a familiar feature of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool years. Now aged 32 he has lost a yard of pace and is less likely to turn on the turbo in the American heat but his nine years at Anfield means he has the nous of experience to read the game.
In goal, Craig Gordon will be one of the tournament's elder statesmen aged 43, but he has been in sterling form this season with Hearts, who came within inches of the Scottish title. The centre back pairing of Grant Hanley and Scott McKenna seems solid with 115 caps between them while Celtic's Kieran Tierney should start at right back.
Steve Clarke has picked ten defenders in his squad as opposed to eight midfielders, perhaps wary of being on the backfoot to better teams and losing starters to injury.
In a 4-2-3-1, the central midfield pairing will probably be Bologna captain Lewis Ferguson alongside Bournemouth's energetic Ryan Christie, with fleet-footed Cherries teammate Ben Gannon-Doak ahead on the right wing. An alternative in the middle is Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour, whose club understanding with McTominay would come in useful and is expected to be picked in a four-man midfield.
Only 20, Gannon-Doak has added excitement to a side that has looked rather conservative and risk-averse in recent games but there is a lack of alternative game-changers and wing speed in the squad. Verona striker Kieran Bowie might have been an attacking option but was not picked.
The sole striker looks like a choice between the muscular Lyndon Dykes or more mobile Che Adams, with Hearts goal-poacher Lawrence Shankland, who has scored 16 this season, snapping at their heels. Against Haiti, Clarke is expected to pick two strikers in a 4-4-2 to maximise goalscoring opportunities, but play an extra midfielder against Brazil and Morocco, who pose more danger on the counter-attack.
Scotland should make it to the knock out stages but will excel to reach the Round of 16. As a northern European side, the climatic conditions will be a challenge, especially in the humid heat of Miami but also in Foxboro (Boston), where summer air is heavy.
They lost to Greece in qualification and were outplayed by Denmark for much of their crunch qualifier, before two injury time goals took them to America instead. The overall assessment of the campaign was of blowing hot and cold but getting over the line eventually.
Friendly losses in 2026 to Ivory Coast and Japan should temper any overexcitement. They are not going to lift the trophy in July. Scotland have great team spirit, a respected manager and amazing support, but progress in the USA remains an uphill task.
An opening fixture with Haiti however gives them a golden opportunity for a flying start and their first World Cup win since beating Sweden at Italia '90.
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Scotland Kit 1 |
Scotland Kit 2 |
Scotland v Haiti, 13th June, Boston
Scotland v Morocco, 19th June, Boston
Scotland v Brazil, 24th June, Miami
Coach
Steve Clarke
Record
Best World Cup: Group stage on eight occasions between 1954 and 1998.
Formation
4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2
Men to watch: Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Ben Gannon-Doak.
Rated 250/1 to win the cup, nobody is expecting the Scots to go far, but with a strong team spirit and unmatched support, they could enjoy an unlikely run.
How they qualified
Winner of UEFA Group C.
On the sidelines
Hull striker Oli McBurney was a notable absence. The English-born target man netted 18 in 40 matches for his club this season, including the playoff winner at Wembley and won a Championship Player of the Month award. Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller's omission also raised some eyebrows but the teenager is certainly one to watch with his country in the future.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers)
Defenders: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Dom Hyam (Wrexham), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic)
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli*), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Napoli)
Strikers: Che Adams (Torino), Lyndon Dykes (Charlton), George Hirst (Ipswich), Lawrence Shankland (Rangers*), Ross Stewart (Southampton)
*Shankland is set to join Rangers from Hearts in June
*Billy Gilmour was replaced by Tyler Fletcher (Manchester United) following an injury in a friendly vs Curacao at Hampden Park.
World Cup Venue Cities
World Cup Venue Cities Guide - USA, Mexico and Canada.