Brazil forward Neymar will miss another match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed he will not travel with the squad for Friday’s Group C clash against Haiti.
The 34-year-old Santos star remains sidelined with a calf injury and will stay in New Jersey to continue his recovery program while Brazil attempts to secure its first win of the tournament. Neymar was also unavailable for Brazil’s opening 1-1 draw against Morocco, a result that left Carlo Ancelotti’s side level on one point in Group C.
With Brazil’s final group-stage match against Scotland scheduled for June 24, attention has now shifted to whether Neymar could make his long-awaited return before the knockout rounds begin. The veteran forward has not played for Brazil since October 2023 and remains one of the tournament’s biggest injury storylines.
Brazil and CBF Provide Latest Neymar Injury Update
GettyBrazil’s forward Neymar takes part in an MD-1 training session
The CBF announced Thursday that Neymar will remain at the team’s training base rather than travel to Philadelphia for the Haiti match.
“He will remain in New Jersey to optimize the final phase of his recovery process, making use of the excellent facilities at The Ridge hotel and the Columbia Park training center,” the federation said in a statement.
Neymar has been recovering from a Grade II calf injury suffered while playing for Santos on May 17. The injury prevented him from participating in Brazil’s opening World Cup match against Morocco.
There have been encouraging signs in recent days. Neymar returned to the training field this week and participated in on-field activities for the first time since arriving in the United States. On Wednesday, he trained in full kit alongside teammates including Raphinha, Bruno Guimarães, Gabriel Magalhães and Fabinho.
He briefly joined the squad before continuing individual drills with Brazil coaches. Neymar also joked with reporters, asking, “Did you miss me?”
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti previously expressed optimism about the forward’s recovery.
“Neymar is working very hard to recover as soon as possible,” Ancelotti said. “Our expectation is that he will recover and rejoin the group next week.”
The Brazil coach also emphasized why Neymar was included in the World Cup squad despite the injury.
“When we included him in the roster, we added him for his technical abilities, which are indisputable. But we also want him for his experience and the example he sets for the young players on the team.”
Neymar Could Target Scotland Match as Brazil Looks Ahead
GettyNeymar (L) speaks with Brazil’s Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti during an MD-1 training session
While Neymar has officially been ruled out against Haiti, the possibility remains that he could feature in Brazil’s final Group C match against Scotland on June 24.
The CBF confirmed that Neymar recently underwent another medical examination as part of his recovery, though the results have not yet been publicly released.
Brazilian media outlets stated that the team’s medical staff are primarily focused on ensuring Neymar is fully fit for the latter stages of the tournament. That approach has led Brazil to proceed cautiously with his rehabilitation rather than rush him back into action.
Brazil enters the Haiti match needing a positive result after drawing Morocco in its opener. Haiti, meanwhile, sits at the bottom of Group C after losing to Scotland.
Neymar’s absence continues a difficult stretch for the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward. In addition to the current calf injury, he has not represented Brazil since suffering a torn ACL and meniscus in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on October 17, 2023.
According to Transfermarkt data cited by ESPN, Neymar has spent roughly 700 days sidelined because of injuries, recovery periods and rehabilitation since that match.
For now, Brazil will continue without its all-time leading scorer. However, with Neymar back on the training field and progressing through the final stages of recovery, the June 24 meeting with Scotland remains the next potential opportunity for his return to competitive action before the knockout rounds begin.
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