Ancelotti Tests Brazil Game Plan in 5:30 p.m. ET Panama Friendly
Brazil’s brazil game against Panama at the Maracanã was the last home tune-up before the World Cup trip to the United States, and Carlo Ancelotti used it to keep sorting through a 26-man squad. Neymar sat out because of a recent muscle injury, but he stayed in the World Cup group as Brazil moved toward June 13, 2026.
Maracanã Sends Brazil Forward
The match kicked off at 5:30 p.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. PT and 6:30 p.m. local time in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil played Panama in front of that setting knowing the next stop after the friendly was the United States, where the team was scheduled to play Egypt and keep building toward Morocco on June 13, 2026.
Ancelotti was trying to find his strongest team ahead of the tournament. That made the Panama match more than a routine exhibition, because it was the final friendly in Brazil before the squad left for its World Cup base.
Neymar Stays in Squad
Neymar’s absence was the sharpest complication in the lineup. He did not play against Panama because of a recent muscle injury expected to keep him out for two to three weeks, yet he remained in Brazil’s World Cup squad.
That leaves Ancelotti with a clear choice to manage: carry Neymar through the recovery window while still shaping the side around players who can handle the next stage of the preparation. Brazil had already used March friendlies in the United States to measure the group, beating Croatia 3-1 and losing to France 2-1.
March Results Shape Brazil
Those March games gave a rough read on the options in front of Ancelotti. Danilo, Igor Thiago and Gabriel Martinelli scored in the win over Croatia, while Bremer scored Brazil’s goal in the loss to France, and the coach entered the Panama match still searching for the best balance.
Panama arrived with its own recent form from March, when it drew South Africa 1-1 and won the return match 2-1. Brazil’s next step was simpler: leave Rio, reach the United States, and carry the Panama performance into the friendly against Egypt with the World Cup opening only days away.
