Shafaq News
The 2026 World Cup continues Sunday, June 14, with five
matches across four groups, led by Brazil’s opener against Morocco and the
first appearances of Germany and the Netherlands.
The day begins with Brazil against Morocco at 1:00 a.m.
Baghdad Time, followed by Haiti against Scotland at 4:00 a.m. Australia then
face Turkiye at 7:00 a.m., before Germany meet Curacao at 8:00 p.m. and the
Netherlands play Japan at 11:00 p.m.
The schedule covers Groups C, D, E, and F, bringing title
contenders, returning teams, a historic debutant, and two Asian sides into
focus.
Brazil vs Morocco
Brazil open Group C against Morocco at New York New Jersey
Stadium, in one of the strongest early fixtures of the tournament. The
five-time champions begin another attempt to win a first World Cup title since
2002, with Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Casemiro, and a squad now led by Carlo
Ancelotti carrying Brazil’s main hopes.
Vinicius said before the match that his focus is on helping
Brazil win the title rather than chasing individual awards, as the Selecao try
to recover from recent World Cup disappointments.
Morocco enter with a different status from previous
tournaments. After becoming the first African team to reach a World Cup
semifinal in 2022, coach Mohamed Ouahbi said his side no longer see themselves
as underdogs. The Atlas Lions will be without Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli
through injury, but Achraf Hakimi has recovered from a thigh problem and is
expected to lead Morocco’s right side.
Morocco had beat Brazil in a 2023 friendly, and Ouahbi said
there is “no clear favorite” for the Group C opener.
Haiti vs Scotland
Haiti and Scotland meet later in Group C at Boston Stadium.
Haiti are back for the first time since 1974, while Scotland are appearing at
the tournament for the first time since 1998.
The match carries heavy group-stage importance because
Brazil and Morocco await both sides. Neither Haiti nor Scotland have ever
reached the World Cup knockout stage, but the expanded 48-team format and new
Round of 32 give both teams a more realistic route if they start well.
Scotland arrive with confidence after scoring eight goals in
two warm-up matches against Curacao and Bolivia. Lawrence Shankland scored
three times in those games, while Che Adams also impressed; Scott McTominay is
available after an upset stomach, but defender Scott McKenna is out with a calf
injury.
Haiti are also encouraged by their preparations. They beat
New Zealand 4-0 before a narrow 2-1 loss to Peru, and their squad includes
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Wilson Isidor, who have Premier League experience.
The atmosphere in Boston could be one of the day’s
strongest. Scotland’s Tartan Army have travelled in large numbers, while Haiti
are expected to draw support from Boston’s large Haitian community.
Australia vs Turkiye
Group D continues at BC Place, Vancouver, where Australia
face Turkiye after the United States opened the group with a 4-1 win over
Paraguay.
Turkiye enter as favorites, with Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz
among the young players expected to attract attention in North America.
Vincenzo Montella’s side are back at the World Cup for the first time since
2002, when Turkiye finished third.
Australia, however, bring tournament experience; the
Socceroos have qualified for six straight World Cups and reached the last 16 in
2022, where they lost to eventual champions Argentina. Coach Tony Popovic
emphasized that Australia are used to being underestimated and want to show
what Australian football can do on the World Cup stage. He also confirmed that
striker Mohamed Toure is fit after missing training with a minor illness.
The match already carries pressure because Group D has begun
moving. The US have three points, Paraguay are under early pressure, and both
Australia and Turkiye need a clean start before facing the rest of the group.
Germany vs Curacao
Germany start Group E against Curacao at Houston Stadium,
with the four-time champions expected to win and expected to do it clearly.
Germany are trying to rebuild their World Cup image after
first-round exits in 2018 and 2022. Julian Nagelsmann’s side enter the
tournament on a nine-match winning run, including recent victories over Finland
and the United States.
The squad includes major names such as Manuel Neuer, Kai
Havertz, Florian Wirtz, and Deniz Undav, who is set for a World Cup debut after
a strong season with VfB Stuttgart.
Curacao enter the match as one of the tournament’s biggest
stories –the Caribbean side are making their World Cup debut and are the
smallest nation to qualify for the finals.
Their coach, Dick Advocaat, is 78 and will become the oldest
coach in World Cup history. He has acknowledged Germany’s status as group
favorites, while saying the opener will show Curacao where they stand.
Germany’s Group E also includes Ecuador and the Ivory Coast,
making a strong opening win important before the tougher calculations begin.
Netherlands vs Japan
The day closes at Dallas Stadium, where the Netherlands face
Japan in Group F.
The Dutch begin another World Cup with a squad built around
Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, Cody Gakpo, Tijjani Reijnders, and Memphis
Depay. Coach Ronald Koeman has stated that Depay remains important to the team,
despite the forward working back toward full fitness after limited recent
playing time.
Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen has also been recovering from a
knock, giving the Netherlands a fitness question before kickoff.
Japan, meanwhile, enter with a major midfield change.
Captain Wataru Endo withdrew from the squad because of a persistent foot injury
and announced his international retirement, forcing coach Hajime Moriyasu to
adjust before the opener.
Ao Tanaka could be paired with Kaishu Sano or Daichi Kamada,
while Takefusa Kubo remains one of Japan’s main creative players. Japan also
carry recent World Cup credibility after beating Spain and Germany in the 2022
group stage.
The Netherlands won the only previous World Cup meeting
between the two teams, 1-0 in South Africa in 2010. Their last meeting was a
2-2 friendly draw in 2013.
