2026 World Cup: Group C Preview
The 2026 World Cup is almost here, and we're previewing the entire tournament!
Up next in our preview is Group C, which looks set to be one of the most fascinating groups at the tournament! Brazil and Neymar are looking to return to their former glory, while 2022 semifinalists Morocco are looking to build on an historic showing.
Meanwhile, Haiti and Scotland are making returns to the World Cup after lengthy absences – Scotland haven't played since 1998, while Haiti are back for the first time since 1974. Let's dive in!
You can catch up on all the other groups here:
2026 World Cup - SixOneFive SoccerNashville’s independent soccer news - SixOneFive Soccer offers breaking news, tactical analysis, and local coverage of the beautiful game in Music City from trusted, independent voices.SixOneFive SoccerBen Wright
TEAMS:Brazil 🇧🇷 | Morocco 🇲🇦 | Haiti 🇭🇹 | Scotland 🏴
Brazil 🇧🇷
FIFA World Ranking: 6
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Brazil are the most decorated team in World Cup history, lifting the trophy five times. Their last win came all the way back in 2002, an eternity for one of the most captivating sides in the history of the sport.
They navigated South American qualifying despite a horrid start, losing six times, including their first-ever qualifying loss at home to Argentina and Lionel Messi. Head coach Dorival Júnior was fired midway through the cycle, with legendary Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti taking over to guide them to one of six automatic qualifying spots for the tournament.
While 34-year-old superstar Neymar is on the roster (controversially – he's struggled for fitness and his stint with Santos has not been a success), this team belongs fully to Vinícius Jr. The Real Madrid winger was a vote short of winning the Balon D'Or in 2024, and he's the focal point of this team in attack.
Brazil always view themselves as favorites for the tournament, and while they've dropped off from the tier of the true elites in recent years, they're still very much in play for a deep run and a shot at a sixth trophy.
How they qualified: Finishing fifth in CONMEBOL qualifying
Best-ever finish: Champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Odds to win World Cup: +850
Key player: Aside from Vinícius Jr, center backs Marquinhos and Gabriel give this team a really tough spine and make them much more defensively solid than the typical Brazil team many envision. They're also really important to Brazil's play in possession, kick-starting their attacks with distribution from the backline.
X-factor: 19-year-old striker Endrick is viewed as one of the most promising young players in the world. Under contract with Real Madrid, he spent the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan with Lyon in France, where he logged seven goals and eight assists in 20 matches.
What’s their ceiling? I mean, this is Brazil. Their ceiling is an unplayable juggernaut who can samba their way to the trophy.
Projection: Brazil will make it to the final, where they'll fall to an organized and elite Portugal team.
Fun fact: The Amazon rainforest, which covers 60% of Brazil, is home to roughly 10% of all known species on earth. It also produces an estimated 20% of the world's atmospheric oxygen.
Morocco 🇲🇦
FIFA World Ranking: 8
Courtesy FIFA.com
After failing to qualify for the World Cup from 2002 to 2014, Morocco have emerged as one of the more exciting teams in the world. Their run to the semifinals in 2022 was one of the best underdog stories in recent tournaments, taking down Spain and Portugal before a hard-fought 2-0 loss to France saw them exit the tournament after their best-ever showing.
In between World Cup appearances, they've had their fair share of controversy. In the Afcon final against Senegal, Morocco were awarded a controversial penalty kick late in the match. Senegal players left the pitch in protest, and after a lengthy delay, Brahim Díaz missed the spot kick.
Senegal eventually won the match 1-0, but a ruling from the African federation awarded a 3-0 win to Morocco two months later, saying that Senegal's 15-minute walkout constitutes a forfeith. Senegal currently are appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Under head coach Mohamed Ouahbi , who won the U20 World Cup with Morocco last year, they play a heavily attacking style, averaging the most shots per match of any team heading into the tournament. Their team is based on dynamic off-ball movement and elite 1v1 dribblers out wide, but they're a really solid defensive team who don't get caught out in transition, despite the numbers they like to push forward.
Morocco are genuinely one of the most exciting teams in the tournament, and with young players scattered across the top leagues around the world, they have an argument to be even better in 2026.
How they qualified: The Atlas Lions were the first African side to qualify, claiming top spot in qualifying Group E with a 5-0 win over Niger.
Best-ever finish: Fourth place (2022)
Odds to win World Cup: +5000
Key player: Right wingback Achraf Hakimi is one of the best players in the modern game. Formerly of Real Madrid, he's coming off a Champions League-winning season with Paris St. Germain. He finished sixth in Balon D'Or voting in 2025. The captain of the squad, Hakimi plays a key role for them in chance creation down the right flank.
X-factor: 22-year-old attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss is one of the more exciting young players in the game, scoring four and assisting five on loan with Stuttgart this season. With parent club Leicester relegated to the EFL League One, he'll be hoping to use the tournament as a springboard for a marquee move.
What’s their ceiling? They're not one of the top-tier favorites, but 2022 showed that Morocco can absolutely hang with the big teams, and are more than capable of repeating their semifinal run.
Projection: If Morocco don't win the group, they'll likely have to take on Japan in the Round of 32. If they're able to win, they could make a deep run, but Japan look like an even better dark horse pick.
Fun fact: The 1942 film Casablanca is one of the most popular depictions of Morocco, but did you know the movie was filmed entirely in California? None of it was shot in Morocco.
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Haiti 🇭🇹
FIFA World Ranking: 82
Courtesy FIFA.com
Haiti's qualification to the 2026 World Cup is inspirational, with the team playing all of their qualifying matches outside of their home country due to continued political turmoil, economic instability, and a backdrop of extreme poverty. Several members of the Haitian national team who were born in the Haitian diaspora have never even set foot in the country due to the continuing crisis. The fact that this team qualified at all, their first time in the tournament since 1974, is remarkable.
Under former Leyton Orient manager Sébastien Migné , they play in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 shape, looking to hit opponents in transition. One of the biggest underdogs in the tournament, they're almost certain to sit deep and absorb pressure, as opening themselves up in possession comes with a real risk of being pulled apart.
With matches against Brazil and Morocco looking like monumental uphill tasks, they'll be eying their group-opening match against Scotland as their best chance for a result.
How they qualified: Haiti finished second in Group B of the second round of Concacaf World Cup qualifying, and ended up finishing ahead of Costa Rica and Honduras in the final stage, including a draw and a win over Costa Rica to secure their first World Cup berth since 1974.
Best-ever finish: Group stage (1974)
Odds to win World Cup: +250000
Key player: French-born midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde is one of the many players on this squad from the Haitian diaspora. A youth international with Les Bleus through the U21 levels, he switched to Haiti last year and made his debut in September. He's a Premier League regular for Wolverhampton and plays at a higher club level than most.
X-factor: FC Dallas midfielder Louicius Deedson is pacey and dangerous on the dribble. He'll look to beat his defender 1v1 and whip in a cross or shot, and it worked well in qualifying, resulting in four goals.
What’s their ceiling? Just being here is the ceiling.
Projection: It's hard to see anything more than a group stage exit for Haiti. Scoring a goal would be an incredible moment.
Fun fact: The Citadelle Laferrière is the largest fortress in the Americas, able to hold up to 5,000 soldiers. Construction began in 1804 and lasted nearly 14 years, building on top of a 3,000-foot mountain in northern Haiti. It was built to defend the newly independent nation from a French re-invasion that never came.
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Scotland 🏴
FIFA World Ranking: 43
Courtesy Scottish Football Federation
Scotland haven't been out of the World Cup for quite as long as Haiti, but the fact that they haven't qualified since 1998 is surprising, given the quality of players in this team.
And, goodness, was their qualification ever dramatic. They finished on top of Group C to earn one of the automatic spots, thanks to a dramatic 4-2 win over Denmark on the last day.
Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay scored an unbelievable bicycle kick just three minutes in to take the lead. After a Denmark equalizer, Scotland took the lead in the 78th minute, only to concede another equalizer in the 82nd minute., That would have sent them to the playoffs. A late winner from Kieran Tierney was capped off by an unbelievable goal from Kenny McClean from the midfield line to send them to the tournament.
Stop whatever you're doing right now and watch the highlights. The commentary for the final goal alone is absolute cinema.
Head coach Steve Clarke is the longest-serving manager in their history, in charge of the side since 2019. With Premier League players like John McGinn , Andy Robertson , Nathan Patterson , and Ben Gannon-Doak in the squad, they have enough quality to get out of the group for the first time ever.
Unfortunately, midfielder Billy Gilmour picked up an injury in their latest tune-up match and will miss the tournament, depriving them of their most creative midfielder. They still have the talent to get through the group, but his injury makes things much harder.
As an aside, their win over Denmark inspired one of the best World Cup anthems you'll hear this year.
I’ve made Scotland a World Cup song pic.twitter.com/f5brWAtbVX
— JJ Bull (@jj_bull) March 24, 2026
How they qualified: Scotland won UEFA Group C to seal one of the automatic qualifying places.
Best-ever finish: Group stage (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998)
Odds to win World Cup: +20000
Key player: Midfielder Scott McTominay has become a clutch player for Scotland, consistently popping up with important goals. Forced into a center back role at times in past tournaments, he's finally been freed to play a more attacking midfield role, and the results have been obvious.
The Bank of Scotland has issued a limited edition £20 note with a photo of Scott McTominay's famous overhead kick 😂💰
Scott McSauce strikes again 🔥
(via Bank of Scotland) pic.twitter.com/yZ96p2bDct
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 25, 2026
X-factor: Winger Ben Doak is a really tricky dribbler, and his ability to beat his man and find service into the box will be crucial for Scotland, who create a lot of their chances from wide areas.
What’s their ceiling? With a win over Haiti to kick things off, they should be able to get out of the group and even make a run to the Round of 16 with the right draw.
Projection: Scotland advance as a third-place team, but lose a heartbreaking match in extra time to Switzerland in the Round of 32.
Fun fact: Golf was invented in Scotland in the 15th century, and became so disruptively addictive that King James II banned it in 1457 because his subjects were neglecting archery practice.
Also, their national animal is a unicorn. That rules.
Group C Wrap
Predicted final standings
| Pos | Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | Advances to Round of 32 |
| 2 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | Advances to Round of 32 |
| 3 | 🏴 Scotland | Best-third-place contender |
| 4 | 🇭🇹 Haiti | Eliminated |
The match that decides it: Brazil vs Morocco on June 13 is one of the premier matches of the group stage, and could go a long way towards deciding not just the group, but the entire tournament.
Best third-place watch: Every major tournament, Scotland convince fans that this could be their year. But for real this time, 2026 could be their year.
Discussion in the ATmosphere