Brazil remain feared on the international stage, but the record five-time World Cup victors are not quite the same animal they once were.
Back-to-back quarterfinal exits mean they haven’t lifted their favorite golden trophy aloft since 2002, with a fourth-placed finish on home soil the best they have mustered since 2014, when their tournament was overshadowed by their humiliating 7–1 defeat to Germany in the semifinal.
Now under the guidance of one of football’s greats, Carlo Ancelotti, hope is renewed ahead of the journey to North America next summer.
Brazil, who have won the World Cup in both the United States and Mexico previously, have seldom failed to escape the group stage at prior tournaments, and they will be eager to reserve their energy for the knockout phase in 2026.
Based on the World Cup pot projections and excluding playoff sides, here are Brazil’s easiest and toughest potential groups for the tournament.
