Brazil could not break Morocco down and were held to a 1-1 draw in the standout fixture of the opening round at MetLife Stadium. The pre-tournament favourites dropping points on day one is the first real signal that the road to the final may be tougher than many assumed.
This was no shock against a minnow. Morocco reached the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup and arrived in New Jersey as a serious side. They proved it inside the opening half-hour.
A turnover punished
Ismael Saibari opened the scoring in the 21st minute, pouncing after Brazil gave the ball away in their own half. It was a sloppy moment from a team carrying enormous expectation, and Morocco needed no second invitation.
Brazil’s response was swift. Vinícius Júnior levelled on 32 minutes, beating goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to restore parity and settle some nerves. The equaliser gave Brazil a platform, but they could not find a winner, and the match finished level after seven added minutes.
There is extra intrigue around this Brazil set-up. Carlo Ancelotti is the first foreign head coach to lead the Seleção at a World Cup, and his opening assignment ended in a draw against one of the tournament’s form sides. For a manager of his pedigree, a point against Morocco is hardly a disaster, but it is not the statement start the favourites wanted.
What it means for Group C
Brazil and Morocco sit level on one point each at the top of Group C. The group is finely poised after a single round, with neither heavyweight able to seize control. You can track every table movement on our live World Cup 2026 standings, and find all our tournament coverage at the World Cup 2026 hub.
The early evidence suggests Group C will go to the wire. Brazil remain among the names everyone expects to go deep, but Morocco have served notice that they intend to make this section a genuine contest. A draw between the two means the remaining fixtures suddenly carry real weight for both.