The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted across North America, enters its next matchday on Saturday June 13, with four more group stage fixtures getting underway as the 48-team tournament continues to unfold. The headline clash of the day pits five-time World Cup champions Brazil against 2023 Africa Cup of Nations winners Morocco, while three other opening-round matches see Qatar face Switzerland, Haiti take on Scotland, and Australia go up against Turkey. Off the pitch, the tournament has already seen a string of unusual off-field stories: former US president Donald Trump missed the United States’ opening fixture, former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau attended the US match instead of Canada’s own tournament opener, and Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey was forced to sit out his side’s first match after Canadian authorities rejected his visa application. In an unexpected twist, Peruvian police officers sparked public commotion when they disguised themselves as World Cup mascots to carry out a successful drug raid.
Below is the full kickoff schedule for June 13, all local time: Group B’s Qatar vs Switzerland gets underway at 4:00 PM at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. The highly anticipated Group C clash between Brazil and Morocco follows at 7:00 PM at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The final match of the day will see Haiti and Scotland face off at 10:00 PM at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Australia and Turkey will round out the day’s action, kicking off their Group D campaign at 1:00 AM Sunday at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.
### Brazil vs Morocco
Brazil will kick off its quest for a record-extending sixth World Cup title in what stands as the toughest possible opening Group C test against reigning African champions Morocco. Unlike most tournament favorites, who open their campaigns against lower-ranked underdogs, Brazil has been drawn into an immediate high-stakes clash against one of the most dangerous teams in the group.
Morocco’s squad, led by star defender Achraf Hakimi and attacking playmaker Brahim Diaz, enters the tournament in strong form with significant offensive firepower. As demonstrated during their historic fourth-place run at the 2022 World Cup, the North African side has proven it can go toe-to-toe with the world’s top ranked teams. The two sides have only met once before at a World Cup, with Brazil claiming a group stage victory back in 1998, though Morocco got revenge with a 2-1 friendly win over the South American giants in 2023.
Brazil holds an impressive overall record against African opponents at the World Cup, with seven wins from eight matches, its only loss coming against Cameroon in the final group stage match of the 2022 tournament. The five-time champions have not lifted the World Cup trophy since their 2002 victory, and have exited the tournament in the quarter-finals in most editions since, aside from a home semi-final exit in 2014. Leading into the 2026 tournament, Brazil’s preparation has been far from smooth: the side is under the leadership of a new head coach, has been plagued by key injury setbacks, and navigated a chaotic qualification campaign. Even with these questions hanging over the side, Brazil remains the clear favorite to pick up three points in its opening fixture.