Brazil have been dealt another setback at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Neymar was ruled out of their second group-stage match against Haiti as he continues to recover from a calf injury.
The Brazilian superstar will not travel with the squad for Friday’s game and will instead remain in New Jersey to complete the final stages of his rehabilitation.
Neymar has been sidelined since suffering a right calf injury in late May and was also unavailable for Brazil’s opening Group C match, a 1-1 draw against Morocco.
Although head coach Carlo Ancelotti had initially hoped the 34-year-old could feature against Haiti, the Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed that the forward is not yet ready to return to action.
“Neymar will remain in New Jersey to make the most of the final stage of his recovery process,” the federation said.
The decision reflects Brazil’s cautious approach, with the coaching staff reportedly unwilling to risk aggravating the injury and jeopardising Neymar’s availability later in the tournament.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star has struggled with fitness issues in recent months and has featured in only half of Santos’ matches this year.
Neymar has also not played for Brazil since October 2023, making his long-awaited return to the national team one of the major talking points ahead of the World Cup.
Brazil will now look to secure a crucial victory over Haiti without their all-time leading goalscorer.
The Selecao’s final group-stage match is scheduled against Scotland on June 24 in Miami.
Source: AFP / Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
