Brazil’s search for a sixth star will stretch to at least 2030. The Seleção topped a tough Group C this summer and rallied past Japan in their first knockout game, but Erling Haaland scored twice in the final 12 minutes of regulation as Norway won 2-1 in the Round of 16 in New Jersey. It was Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990.
Unlike Germany and the Netherlands, Brazil is sticking with its coach. Carlo Ancelotti signed an extension through 2030 shortly before the tournament and has insisted the defeat marks a starting point rather than an ending. Below, LegalSportsReport looks back at Brazil’s 2026 campaign, outlines how the five-time champion will qualify for 2030, details where the next two tournaments are headed and wraps up with a full table of final results. Odds for every nation are available on our World Cup odds page.
Brazil at the 2026 World Cup
Brazil’s opener against Morocco at MetLife Stadium lived up to the hype. Ismael Saibari put Morocco ahead midway through the first half, and Vinícius Júnior answered 11 minutes later in a 1-1 draw. The Seleção then found their rhythm, beating Haiti 3-0 in Philadelphia behind two first-half goals from Matheus Cunha and handling Scotland by the same score in Miami, with Vinícius scoring twice.
Brazil and Morocco both finished Group C with seven points, but Brazil’s superior goal difference gave it first place. That set up a Round of 32 meeting with Japan, and Brazil came from behind to win 2-1 on goals from Casemiro and Gabriel Martinelli.
| Round | Opponent | Result | Brazil goal scorers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group C | Morocco | D 1-1 | Vinícius Júnior |
| Group C | Haiti | W 3-0 | Matheus Cunha (2), Vinícius Júnior |
| Group C | Scotland | W 3-0 | Vinícius Júnior (2), Matheus Cunha |
| Round of 32 | Japan | W 2-1 | Casemiro, Gabriel Martinelli |
| Round of 16 | Norway | L 1-2 | Neymar |
Haaland ends Brazil’s run
Brazil had a golden chance to take control early against Norway, but goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland stopped a Bruno Guimarães penalty in the 14th minute. The match stayed scoreless until the 79th minute, when Haaland rose above Gabriel to head in Andreas Schjelderup’s cross, and the Manchester City striker sealed it with a blast from outside the box in the 90th minute. Neymar converted a penalty deep in stoppage time, but it only trimmed the margin.
The loss extended an uncomfortable trend: Brazil hasn’t beaten a European team in a World Cup knockout game since its 2002 title run.
Ancelotti stays on
Brazil’s federation extended Ancelotti’s contract through the 2030 World Cup in May 2026, and it has stood by the Italian since the exit. Ancelotti, who took over in 2025, framed the Norway loss as “the start of a new adventure” and will lead Brazil into the next qualifying cycle.
Brazil’s road to the 2030 World Cup
Brazil is the only nation to play in all 23 World Cups, and keeping that streak alive will require navigating a reshaped South American qualifying race.
- Fewer open spots: CONMEBOL is expected to have six direct places at the 48-team tournament, but three of them already belong to centenary hosts Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
- The competition: That leaves Brazil battling Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela for the three remaining direct berths.
- Safety net: A seventh CONMEBOL side gets a second chance via the intercontinental playoff round.
- Outlook: Even with the tighter math, Brazil will be a strong favorite to qualify, though its uneven recent qualifying campaigns show it can’t afford to coast.
Once early 2030 futures appear at World Cup betting sites and across licensed online sportsbooks, Brazil should land among the leading contenders with defending champion Spain, Argentina and France.
Future World Cup host countries
FIFA has settled where the sport’s biggest event heads after its North American stop.
- 2030: The Iberian Peninsula and Morocco serve as the main stage. To celebrate a century since Uruguay staged the first tournament, Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Asunción are expected to welcome one match apiece before the competition shifts to Europe and Africa. The tournament is penciled in for the summer of 2030.
- 2034: Saudi Arabia will stage the event alone, a decision FIFA finalized in December 2024. A schedule has not been published.
No host has been named yet for 2038.
Brazil World Cup history
No country has lifted the World Cup more often than Brazil, which won in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. The Seleção also finished runner-up in 1950 on home soil and in 1998. The current 24-year drought already matches the gap between the 1970 and 1994 titles, and it becomes the longest in Brazil’s history if the Seleção fall short again in 2030.
Men’s World Cup results since 1930
Below is every tournament’s host, champion and runner-up, from Uruguay in 1930 through Spain’s triumph at MetLife Stadium in 2026.
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | United States, Canada, Mexico | Spain | Argentina |
| 2022 | Qatar | Argentina | France |
| 2018 | Russia | France | Croatia |
| 2014 | Brazil | Germany | Argentina |
| 2010 | South Africa | Spain | Netherlands |
| 2006 | Germany | Italy | France |
| 2002 | South Korea, Japan | Brazil | Germany |
| 1998 | France | France | Brazil |
| 1994 | United States | Brazil | Italy |
| 1990 | Italy | West Germany | Argentina |
| 1986 | Mexico | Argentina | West Germany |
| 1982 | Spain | Italy | West Germany |
| 1978 | Argentina | Argentina | Netherlands |
| 1974 | West Germany | West Germany | Netherlands |
| 1970 | Mexico | Brazil | Italy |
| 1966 | England | England | West Germany |
| 1962 | Chile | Brazil | Czechoslovakia |
| 1958 | Sweden | Brazil | Sweden |
| 1954 | Switzerland | West Germany | Hungary |
| 1950 | Brazil | Uruguay | Brazil |
| 1938 | France | Italy | Hungary |
| 1934 | Italy | Italy | Czechoslovakia |
| 1930 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina |
Brazil and Argentina each appear on this list seven times as a winner or runner-up, the most of any South American nations. European teams have taken five of the last six titles, though, with Argentina’s 2022 win the lone exception, a stretch Brazil will need to break in 2030. The 1950 entry is unique: there was no championship final that year, and Uruguay’s 2-1 upset of Brazil at the Maracanã in the final group match decided the title.