The official announcement heading into the World Cup
On Monday afternoon, May 18, 2026, Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti officially announced the 26-player squad chosen to represent the Brazilian National Team at the 2026 World Cup. The event took place at the Museu do Amanhã, located in the port zone of Rio de Janeiro. The squad selection confirmed the highly celebrated return of forward Neymar, currently playing for Santos, who rejoins the national team after a two-year and seven-month hiatus.
Among the standout inclusions and surprises in the manager’s final list are experienced goalkeeper Weverton from Grêmio, and young forward Rayan, who currently plays for Bournemouth in England. The goalkeeper crew also features established stars Alisson (Liverpool) and Ederson (Fenerbahçe).
Brazil’s World Cup Roster
Below is the official list of the 26 athletes, organized by position and their respective current clubs:
Goalkeepers
- Alisson – Liverpool (ENG)
- Ederson – Fenerbahçe (TUR)
- Weverton – Grêmio (BRA)
Defenders (Full-backs and Center-backs)
- Alex Sandro – Flamengo (BRA)
- Bremer – Juventus (ITA)
- Danilo – Flamengo (BRA)
- Douglas Santos – Zenit (RUS)
- Gabriel Magalhães – Arsenal (ENG)
- Ibañez – Al-Ahli (KSA)
- Léo Pereira – Flamengo (BRA)
- Marquinhos – PSG (FRA)
- Wesley – Roma (ITA)
Midfielders
- Bruno Guimarães – Newcastle (ENG)
- Casemiro – Manchester United (ENG)
- Danilo – Botafogo (BRA)
- Fabinho – Al-Ittihad (KSA)
- Lucas Paquetá – Flamengo (BRA)
Forwards
- Endrick – Lyon (FRA)
- Gabriel Martinelli – Arsenal (ENG)
- Igor Thiago – Brentford (ENG)
- Luiz Henrique – Zenit (RUS)
- Matheus Cunha – Manchester United (ENG)
- Neymar – Santos (BRA)
- Raphinha – Barcelona (ESP)
- Rayan – Bournemouth (ENG)
- Vinícius Júnior – Real Madrid (ESP)
A cycle marked by instability and the path in the group stage
The Brazilian National Team heads into the tournament surrounded by a wave of skepticism following a highly turbulent qualifying cycle. Brazil closed its campaign in the South American Qualifiers in a modest fifth place with 28 points, finishing behind continental rivals Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, and Uruguay. This instability was also evident on the bench: before securing Ancelotti, the team was led by three different coaches: Ramon Menezes, Fernando Diniz, and Dorival Júnior. The lowest point of the campaign was a heavy 4-1 loss against Argentina in Buenos Aires, while the standout performance came in Brasília, with a 4-0 thrashing of Peru at the Mané Garrincha stadium. Due to these recent performances, Brazil begins the tournament ranked below heavy favorites like France, Spain, and Argentina.
Placed in Group C for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian squad will play in North America against Scotland, Morocco, and Haiti. The schedule for the opening stage has been finalized by the technical committee:
Group C Match Schedule
| Match Date | Kickoff Time (BRT) | Opponent | Match Venue |
| June 13 | 19:00 | Morocco | New Jersey |
| June 19 | 21:30 | Haiti | TBD |
| June 24 | 19:00 | Scotland | TBD |
