Neymar confirmed with grade-two calf injury that will rule him out of Brazil's World Cup opener

Neymar Junior will miss Brazil’s opening 2026 World Cup match against Morocco after the Brazil Football Federation confirmed he has suffered a grade-two calf injury, sustained during Santos’s defeat to Coritiba last weekend. The 34-year-old had only just earned a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-man squad as a surprise selection.

Brazil’s medical staff delivered the verdict following an MRI scan, contradicting an earlier claim from Santos that no injury had occurred. The federation’s statement was unambiguous: “Yesterday Neymar had all the medical tests, which ended with an MRI that ended with a grade two injury in the calf. It is expected that in two or three weeks he will be recovered.”

A recovery window of two to three weeks means Neymar is set to sit out Brazil’s Group A opener against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 13 June. The Selecao’s second group game, against Haiti six days later, falls within the outer edge of that timeline, giving him a realistic chance of featuring before the knockout rounds begin.

Neymar had been playing for Santos in the weeks leading up to the squad announcement, using those appearances to demonstrate his fitness and persuade Ancelotti he was worth a place in the squad. The calf problem, picked up in the loss to Coritiba, now clouds what was already a comeback story built on fragile foundations — the forward has spent much of the past two years managing serious knee and muscular injuries.

The timing is far from ideal for Ancelotti, who must now reassess how he deploys his attacking options in the tournament’s early stages. Whether Neymar was pencilled in as a starter or a squad option, his absence from at least the first fixture forces the Brazil head coach to adjust his plans before the competition has even kicked off.

Brazil’s 2026 World Cup campaign begins on 13 June in New Jersey.