Neymar decision revealed: Ancelotti announces Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad

Neymar is set to go to his fourth World Cup, having earned a sensational recall to the Brazil squad for this summer’s tournament.

The Santos forward has not played for his country in over two and a half years, but was among the 26 players announced by Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti on Monday, at an event in Rio de Janeiro. Confirmation of Neymar’s World Cup selection was greeted by loud cheers in the audience at Rio’s Museu do Amanhã.

Speculation over the 34-year-old’s potential inclusion had been mounting since Ancelotti last week named the star on Brazil’s preliminary, 55-man roster for the finals in North America.

Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad - the complete list:

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton

Defenders: Alex Sandro, Bremer, Danilo, Douglas Santos, Gabriel Magalhães, Ibañez, Leo Pereira, Marquinhos, Wesley

Midfielders: Bruno Guimarães, Casemiro, Danilo, Fabinho, Lucas Paqueta

Forwards: Endrick, Gabriel Martinelli, Igor Thiago, Luiz Henrique, Matheus Cunha, Neymar, Raphinha, Rayan, Vinícius Júnior

Neymar convinces Carlo

Neymar is Brazil’s highest ever scorer, with 79 goals in 128 caps, but has not played for the five-time world champions since October 2023, shortly before suffering a serious knee injury that sidelined him for a year.

Until now, Neymar had not made any final Brazil rosters under Ancelotti, who was hired in May 2025. Speaking in March, the Italian pointed to the fitness issues that have continued to affect the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward.

Amid renewed knee trouble, indeed, Neymar was sidelined for Santos’s first 10 games in 2026, before finally returning in mid-February. In all, he has appeared in only 15 of the Brazilian club’s 31 matches so far this calendar year, registering six goals.

But in a recent interview with Reuters, Ancelotti spoke of the progress Neymar has made since his February return - and acknowledged that he had a big call to make on the veteran’s World Cup future. “[Neymar] has improved a lot recently and is playing consistently,” Ancelotti said. “Obviously, for me, it’s not such a simple decision. I have to weigh up the pros and cons carefully.”

Neymar’s World Cup stats

Neymar, who made his senior Brazil debut in August 2010, was part of the Seleção’s squads at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups, spearheading the team to the semifinals on home soil 12 years ago. Across three tournaments, he has made 13 World Cup appearances, scoring eight goals.

When does Brazil’s 2026 World Cup campaign begin?

The only national team to have reached every men’s World Cup in the competition’s 96-year history, Brazil have been drawn in Group C with Haiti, Morocco, and Scotland. At this summer’s finals, which are to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S., the Brazilians begin their bid for a sixth title against the Moroccans, at MetLife Stadium on June 13.

Before their World Cup opener, Brazil host Panama in a Rio friendly on May 31, before playing a final warmup game against Egypt, on June 6 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Brazil’s Group C schedule in full:

• June 13: Brazil vs Morocco, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• June 19: Brazil vs Haiti, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
• June 24: Scotland vs Brazil, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL

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