Regardless of holding icon standing in Brazil, Neymar’s inclusion in his nation’s squad for the World Cup 2026 was a major shock.
Now 34, the Selecao document scorer had not performed worldwide soccer for nearly three years in the beginning of the finals, having suffered a critical knee harm throughout a World Cup qualifier in October 2023.
That meant Neymar barely featured for Saudi aspect Al-Hilal, who he joined for £77.6 million from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023, earlier than signing for Brazilian giants Santos in January 2025.
Right here’s how Neymar and Brazil’s schedule seems on the finals, together with the place to look at, kick-off instances and the most recent on his health.
Neymar World Cup fixtures: Confirmed schedule, kick off instances
Brazil face Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in the course of the group stage. Right here’s when these video games happen and their subsequent potential fixtures, in addition to the UK TV channel.
Asterisk denotes match beginning yesterday in specified territory.
| Date | Match | End result | Stage | Time (BST) | ET | PT | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 13 | Morocco | 1-1 | Group | 23:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 | BBC |
| June 20 | Haiti | Group | 01:30 | 20:30* | 17:30* | ITV | |
| June 24 | Scotland | Group | 23:00 | 18:00* | 15:00* | BBC | |
| June 29/30 | TBC | Spherical of 32 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 4/5 | TBC | Spherical of 16 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 9/11 | TBC | Quarter-finals | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 14/15 | TBC | Semi-finals | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | |
| July 18 | TBC | Third-placed match | 22:00 | 17:00 | 12:00 | TBC | |
| July 19 | TBC | Last | 20:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | BBC, ITV |
Is Neymar taking part in within the World Cup 2026? Harm updates
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti left Neymar out of a squad as just lately as March and the previous Barcelona marksman had a knee process in April in an try and be match for the finals.
Ancelotti then chosen Neymar, who had performed 682 minutes in 2026, earlier than he suffered a calf harm in late Might that was anticipated to maintain him out for between two to 3 weeks.
Neymar didn’t journey with Brazil to their warm-up matches for the World Cup however the Selecao stated on June 8 that he was making “good progress”, though he was not concerned of their opening match on the finals on June 12.
The 2021 Copa America Greatest Participant has 128 caps and broke Pele’s document by scoring the 78th of his 79 worldwide targets throughout Brazil’s World Cup qualifier in opposition to Bolivia in September 2023, however ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in opposition to Uruguay the next month.
Neymar subsequent match at FIFA World Cup 2026
Neymar’s subsequent potential match on the World Cup might be Brazil’s second sport in opposition to Haiti in Philadelphia on June 20 at 01:30 BST.
Brazil World Cup squad: Full confirmed checklist
Ancelotti named his squad on Might 18.
Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio).
Defenders: Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Ederson (Atalanta), Marquinhos (PSG), Gabriel (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St Petersburg)
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo)
Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Matheus Cunha (Man United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius Junior (Actual Madrid), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Neymar (Santos), Rayan (Bournemouth)
World Cup 2026: Who may Brazil exchange Neymar with?
Brazil are among the many favourites to win the World Cup and Ancelotti isn’t in need of ahead choices who’ve been prolific throughout Europe since Neymar final performed recurrently.
Gabriel Martinelli gained the 2025/26 Premier League with Arsenal, Igor Thiago scored 22 instances for Brentford to complete because the second-top scorer in final season’s English prime flight and Matheus Cunha netted 9 instances in his last 21 appearances of the season for Manchester United.
Newcomer Rayan, 19, scored in three consecutive video games throughout April and Might to assist Bournemouth qualify for Europe for the primary time, and Luiz Henrique repeated that feat for Zenit within the Russian Premier League.
Raphinha had an injury-strewn season however scored 13 instances in 22 La Liga video games for Barcelona, with Vinicius Junior matching that complete throughout the Spanish prime flight and the Champions League for Actual Madrid.
Los Blancos loaned Endrick to Lyon, the place the 19-year-old contributed 5 targets and 7 assists in 16 appearances in Ligue 1.
Spain, France, Argentina, England, Portugal and Germany are among the many likeliest candidates Brazil should see off if they’re so as to add to their document 5 titles, though they haven’t triumphed since lifting the trophy when the 2002 World Cup was held in Japan and South Korea.
After lacking two video games on the 2022 World Cup with an ankle harm, Neymar produced two targets and one assists however was a part of a staff knocked out by Croatia within the quarter-finals.
The outcome ensured he has by no means performed past the final eight of the match, having been ever-present and contributed two targets and two assists earlier than Brazil have been knocked out at that stage by Belgium in 2018.
At his first World Cup in 2014, Neymar completed on 4 targets and one help in 5 video games however missed Brazil’s 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany and 3-0 third-placed match loss to the Netherlands by means of harm.
