Brazil Opens Against Morocco at MetLife in World Cup Matches Today
Brazil launch their world cup matches today campaign against Morocco on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with kickoff set for 6pm local time. The meeting is one of four group-stage games across North America, and the winner could take an early step toward topping Group C.
MetLife Stadium Sets Brazil-Morocco
Brazil arrive with history on their side, but only just. They beat Morocco in a 1998 World Cup group-stage meeting and have won seven of their eight World Cup matches against African opponents, with the lone defeat coming against Cameroon in 2022.
Morocco carry a different recent reference point. They beat Brazil 2-1 in a friendly in 2023, a result that keeps this opener from reading like a routine favorite-versus-underdog matchup. Opta's 25,000 simulations still gave Brazil a 57.7 percent chance to win, with a draw at 23.5 percent and a Morocco victory at 18.8 percent.
Qatar, Haiti, Australia Also Play
Saturday's slate stretches across the continent and starts early in Vancouver, where Qatar face Switzerland at BC Place at 12pm local time. Switzerland were given a 76.0 percent chance of victory in Opta's 25,000 simulations, while Qatar were at 9.1 percent and the draw at 14.9 percent.
Haiti meet Scotland at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas at 8pm local time, and Australia and Turkiye open Group D at Lumen Field in Seattle at 9pm local time. Turkiye have won both previous meetings with Australia, both friendlies in 2004, and have won all four of their previous World Cup matches against Asian opponents.
Brazil's Long Title Wait
The opener also sits inside Brazil's longer title drought. They have not won the World Cup since 2002 and have usually gone out in the quarterfinals after that, except for their run to the 2014 semifinals.
That leaves Saturday with a familiar Brazil test and a clear early bar: handle Morocco, or spend the rest of the group stage chasing the position that was theirs to control from the start.
