Group C of the 2026 World Cup kicks off with a clash of titans that will define the course of the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Brazil and Morocco start as the favorites to advance, but the fate of the section will not be without drama. A sturdy Scotland team promises to be the judge of the group, while Haiti is making a historic comeback after an absence of more than half a century.
New York’s MetLife Stadium will host the most eagerly awaited debut: the vibrant head-to-head between the ‘Canarinha’ and the Atlas Lions, in Group C led by Brazil.
Brazil relies on Ancelotti…. and Neymar
CAN THIS BRAZIL WIN ITS SIXTH #WorldCupOnDSPORTS? 🤔🏆
Carlo Ancelotti’s side beat Egypt 2-1 in the final friendly in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2026™️.
📹 SBF pic.twitter.com/yP81vqouNv
– DSPORTS (@DSports) June 7, 2026
By history they are one of the favorites for the title, but the truth is that Brazil arrives discredited and in a phase of adaptation.
After a dance of coaches since the departure of Adenor Leonardo Bacchi ‘Tite’, the Italian Carlo Ancelotti, backed by his successful tenure with the most powerful clubs in Europe, accepted the challenge of taking the reins of the ‘green and yellow’ team.
The former Real Madrid coach took over in May last year and has just renewed his contract until 2030.
His arrival stopped the bleeding of bad results, although it has not triggered euphoria either.
In ten games, they have won just five games, with two draws and three defeats.
The big surprise in ‘Carletto’s’ list is Neymar, who has not played for the senior team since October 2023 and is still far from the player who shone at FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
He will be joined by Vinícius José de Oliveira ‘Vinícius Jr’ and Raphael Dias ‘Raphinha’, stars of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, in a squad lacking creativity in the middle and weak on the defensive flanks.
Morocco, with new coach and a promising future
🇲🇦 | WORLD CUP 2026: Morocco announces its World Cup squad. pic.twitter.com/Le0wJFpmwj
– Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) May 27, 2026
Morocco was the great revelation of the last World Cup, reaching the historic semifinals, after leaving the likes of Spain and Portugal by the wayside.
It was the first time an African team broke the quarterfinal barrier.
In this edition he hopes to shake off the label of promise and confirm himself as an elite rival.
It will do so with a new face on the bench. Walid Regragui, the architect of Qatar 2022, was replaced last March by Mohamed Ouahbi, who won the FIFA U-20 World Cup with Morocco’s U-20 side in October 2025.
Earlier, the country won a creditable bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
With a squad built to defend and counter-attack, many of its players were trained in European leagues such as Spain, France and the Netherlands.
Led by Achraf Hakimi, a PSG winger, the team has fast wingers such as Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid) and Abde Ezzalzouli (Real Betis).
In the middle, Neil El Aynaoui comes from a good season with Roma. Yassine Bounou ‘Bono’ continues to be a reliable goalkeeper.
McTominay, the Scottish menace
McTominay with the strike ⚽️💥🏴 pic.twitter.com/lHdKF7NgTh
– Road to ’26 Presented by Turkish Airlines (@Roadto26usa) June 6, 2026
Scotland is the trap team of the group.
They qualified for the World Cup by topping their group in the European qualifiers, beating Denmark, Greece and Belarus.
Steve Clarke’s side has Premier League DNA and is led by lanky midfielder Scott McTominay.
Trained at Manchester United, he joined Napoli in mid-2024 and this season has brought out his goalscoring prowess.
Aston Villa’s John McGinn is also an important part of the midfield.
The goals are usually scored by Lyndon Dykes (Charlton), Ché Adams (Torino) and Ryan Christie (Bournemouth).
Haiti, the miracle of a country in collapse
#WorldCup 2026 #Teleamazonas
🗓️ Sunday June 14
Haiti 🇭🇹 vs 🏴 Scotland #OurWorldCup #FifaWorldCup #WorldCup2026 #WorldCup2026 pic.twitter.com/9C357OWf2Z– FROM TV TO YOUTUBE (@DETVAYOUTUBE) June 7, 2026
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas and immersed in a serious political, economic and social crisis, had not reached the finals of a FIFA World Cup since Germany 1974.
With a minimal structure and scarce resources, they defeated superior rivals such as Costa Rica in the qualifying round. They are, in theory, the most accessible opponent, although their soccer has made a remarkable leap forward in recent years.
Among the 26 selected by coach Sébastien Migné is the legendary Duckens Nazon, the national team’s all-time leading scorer.
Other key players include goalkeeper and captain Johny Placide, center back Ricardo Adé (Liga de Quito) and full back Carlens Arcus, who has shone this season with French side Angers. Leverton Pierre (Vizela) and Danley Jean Jacques (Philadelphia Union) are in charge of holding up the midfield.
Filed under: Group C led by Brazil
With information from EFE