Key Points
- Brazil and Morocco drew 1-1 at MetLife Stadium on June 13.
- Ismael Saibari put Morocco ahead in the 21st minute.
- Vinícius Júnior equalized for Brazil in the 32nd minute.
- Both teams take a point from their Group C opener.
Brazil's 2026 World Cup opened with a stumble. The five-time champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Morocco at MetLife Stadium on Saturday, taking a single point from their Group C opener in front of a yellow-clad crowd that had turned the New York area into a Brazilian outpost all week.
How it unfolded
Morocco, the surprise semifinalists of the 2022 World Cup, struck first when Ismael Saibari finished in the 21st minute. Brazil needed only 11 minutes to respond: Vinícius Júnior leveled it in the 32nd, and the score held at 1-1 through the second half. Brazil pressed for a winner but could not break down a Morocco side that has spent four years establishing itself among the international game's serious contenders.
What it means
A point apiece leaves Group C wide open after one match. For Brazil, a draw with one of the tournament's tougher dark horses is no disaster, but it raises the stakes on their remaining group games. For Morocco, holding the five-time champions on opening day is another marker of how far the program has come. The result also quieted, for one night, the party just across the river — Brazil's traveling support had spent the week turning Midtown and Times Square yellow, as we noted ahead of kickoff.
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