Even as the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage continues to unfold, one of soccer’s biggest global names will be forced to watch from the sidelines for Brazil’s second matchup. The Brazilian Football Confederation announced Thursday that star forward Neymar will not travel with the national squad to Philadelphia for Friday’s Group C clash against Haiti, sidelined by a persistent right calf injury that has derailed his tournament preparations.
Instead of joining the team for match week preparations, the 34-year-old Santos attacker will remain in the team’s New Jersey training base to complete the final stage of his rehabilitation. Per an official statement from the confederation, the decision to keep Neymar behind is designed to optimize his recovery timeline, with the player set to continue guided treatment and low-intensity exercise from the dedicated facilities at the team’s hotel.
Neymar’s road to this World Cup has been marked by uncertainty from the start. He originally sustained the calf injury during a club match with Santos on May 17, and has only gradually ramped up his activity since joining up with the Brazilian squad ahead of the tournament. He made his first return to the training pitch on Tuesday, completing individual physical conditioning drills, and joined a portion of full team sessions on Wednesday, where he received a warm round of applause from teammates when he stepped onto the field. Even so, he has not yet participated in a full 90-minute training session with the full squad, prompting medical staff to advise against his inclusion for Friday’s match.
Heading into his fourth World Cup appearance, Neymar underwent extensive medical testing on Monday to assess how far his injury had healed, with results confirming he was not yet match-fit. The news comes after Brazil kicked off their Group C campaign with a 1-1 draw against Morocco on Saturday, leaving the five-time World Cup winners in need of three points to solidify their position in the knockout stage race.
Neymar’s inclusion in the 26-man squad by head coach Carlo Ancelotti has already sparked widespread public and media debate across Brazil, with critics questioning whether it was wise to call up a player recovering from a long-term injury so close to the start of the tournament. For now, all attention remains on how quickly Neymar can progress through his recovery, with fans across the country holding out hope he will be fit to feature in later stages of the tournament.