The Brazilian team begins to profile its possible opponents in the knockout phase of the 2026 World Cup, depending exclusively on its own performance to advance to the round of 16.
Although the pairings still depend on the final results of the group stage, the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden emerge as the main candidates to cross the path of the team coached by Carlo Ancelotti in the next stage of the tournament.
The clashes will be defined based on the final classification of groups C and F. Group C matches, which include Brazil against Scotland and Morocco against Haiti, will take place on Wednesday (24/6), while the definition of Group F, with the Netherlands facing Tunisia and Japan facing Sweden, will be on Thursday (25/6).
Currently, the Canarian team is at the top of Group C, with four points and a three-goal difference. Morocco also accumulates four points, but occupies second place due to a lower goal difference. Scotland, with three points, maintains its chances of qualifying.
In Group F, the Netherlands and Japan also have four points, with the Dutch team ahead for having scored more goals, while Sweden follows close behind with three points.
The teams from Haiti and Tunisia, without any chance of advancing to the next phase, will only fulfill their remaining commitments in the table.
If Brazil does not finish in the top two of its group, there is still the possibility of ranking in third place. This would happen if the Brazilian team lost to Scotland and Morocco scored points against Haiti.
In this particular scenario, progression to the knockout stage would be conditioned on performance compared to the other third-placed teams, since the 2026 World Cup will innovate by classifying the eight best third-placed teams for the knockout stage, an important differentiator for the competition.
Brazil first in group C: analysis of possible opponents
If Brazil confirms its position as leader in Group C, it will face second place in Group F in the next phase of the competition.
At the moment, this position is occupied by Japan, however, the situation remains undefined and will be directly influenced by the results of the last round of the group stage.
A victory for Japan over Sweden, for example, could take the Asian team to the top of the group, also depending on the result of the confrontation between the Netherlands and Tunisia. The Swedes still have a chance of advancing into the top two, as long as they manage to win in a direct clash.
In addition to scoring, goal difference will prove to be a crucial factor in determining the group’s final positions, especially in such a tight and balanced contest.
The clash against the Netherlands
The Netherlands would qualify in second place – and, consequently, become Brazil’s opponent – if they were surpassed by just one team. This can happen if you lose and Japan wins, or if you draw and the Japanese are victorious.
Second place would also be a possibility for the Netherlands to draw and Sweden to win in the decisive round. However, if both the Netherlands and Japan are defeated, second place will be determined using tiebreakers.
The confrontation against Japan
Japan, in turn, will guarantee second place if they draw or beat Sweden and remain behind the Netherlands in the overall group standings. For this to happen, the Dutch could not be defeated in their last game.
The clash against Sweden
Sweden, on the other hand, would need a victory over Japan and, additionally, hope that the Netherlands would overcome Tunisia to get second place in the group and face Brazil. Sweden could also draw, but in that case they would need the Netherlands to lose their match and surpass them on goal difference.
Regardless of the opponent, with Brazil in first place, the second phase match is scheduled for Monday (29/6), starting at 2pm.
The Brazilian team finishes second in group C: who could be the rival?
If the Brazilian team advances as runner-up in Group C, their challenge in the next phase will be first place in Group F.
At this moment, the Netherlands occupies the lead due to the tiebreaker criteria and, if they maintain this position until the end of the third round, they would face Brazil. A possible clash between the two teams would be a repeat of the dispute for third place in the 2014 World Cup, when the Dutch won 3-0.
The clash against the Netherlands
For the Netherlands to finish as Brazil’s opponents, they would only have to beat Tunisia in the next round and hope that Japan, even with a victory, does not overtake them in terms of balance or number of goals scored.
The Dutch could also secure the lead with a draw, as long as Japan and Sweden also draw – with the definition of first place depending on the tiebreaker criteria.
The confrontation against Japan
For a duel between Brazil and Japan, the Japanese could not be defeated by Sweden. A win or even a draw would guarantee first place in Group F for the Asian team, as long as the Netherlands lose or draw – in the latter scenario, the top of the group would also be decided by tiebreaker criteria.
The clash against Sweden
Finally, a clash between Brazil and Sweden in the knockout stage would only materialize if the Swedish team beat Japan and the Netherlands stumbled, either with a defeat or a draw. In this scenario, the Swedes would reach the top of the group and guarantee their place to face the Brazilian team.
Regardless of the opponent, if Brazil qualifies in second place in Group C, the second phase game will also take place on Monday (29/6), however, at 10pm.
The challenges if Brazil finishes third in group C
If Brazil finishes in third place, the team will need to be among the eight best third-placed teams in the World Cup to advance to the next stage, a new regulation for this edition of the tournament.
In this scenario, the opponent can come from three different pools, as the crossover in the knockout stage is determined by the campaign between the third-placed teams.
Brazil’s opponent would be defined according to the bracket established by FIFA for the knockout stage, and could face one of the leaders of groups A, E or I.
Possible opponents in this scenario include Germany, the current leader of Group E, Mexico or South Korea, who are competing for the first position in Group A, and France or Norway, who are fighting for the leadership of Group I.
Historical retrospective of the Seleção’s possible clashes
Analyzing past clashes, the Netherlands appears to be the opponent that historically imposed the most difficulties on Brazil in the second phase. The two teams faced each other 12 times, with a remarkable balance: four wins for the Dutch, four wins for the Brazilians and four draws.
Additionally, the Netherlands is the Group F team with the best position in the FIFA rankings.
On the other hand, Sweden had a less impressive qualifying campaign for the World Cup and has an unfavorable record against Brazil, having not beaten the Brazilians since 1989.
Japan, although it has only one victory against Brazil, came in a recent friendly, in October last year.
The Netherlands and its trajectory in World Cups
The Netherlands team currently holds the record for the longest undefeated streak in World Cup history, having played 14 matches without suffering defeat at the World Cup.
After drawing 2-2 with Japan and beating Sweden 5-1 in the second round, the team led by Ronald Koeman surpassed the previous mark that belonged to the Brazilian team.
In the FIFA rankings, the Dutch team occupies 7th place, while Brazil is in 5th place.
The two teams have faced each other 12 times throughout history, five of these duels in World Cups. The total balance records four wins for Brazil, four draws and four defeats.
The last meeting was in the 2014 World Cup, when the Netherlands took third place in the World Cup by beating Brazil 3-0.
With a robust squad and several Premier League players, Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool captain, is considered a crucial piece for the Netherlands’ aspirations. Another highlight is the team’s top scorer, Memphis Depay, who currently plays for Corinthians.
In recent years, the traditional offensive characteristics of Dutch football, such as creativity and the presence of a decisive center forward, have seen their influence diminish.
On the other hand, the team started to rely more on a solid defense with multiple options, which provides security so that a technically qualified midfield can develop its game.
- 4 victories for Brazil (1994 World Cup and 1998 World Cup)
- 4 draws
- 4 defeats (3 in World Cups: 1974, 2010 and 2014)
Japan and its rise on the world football scene
After starting the championship with a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, Japan beat Tunisia 4-0 in the second round and now awaits the final clash against Sweden.
Japan occupies 16th position in the FIFA rankings. The Brazilian and Japanese teams have faced each other 13 times, with Brazil suffering only one defeat – in a friendly held in October last year, with a score of 3-2.
In duels valid for World Cups, the teams met only once, in the 2006 edition, in Germany, when they were part of the same group. On that occasion, Brazil beat Japan 4-1 and secured first place in the bracket.
The Japanese secured their place in this World Cup by having one of the best campaigns in their history in the Asian Qualifiers, with a record of 13 wins, two draws and just one defeat.
The team led by Hajime Moriyasu – the first coach to lead the Japanese team in consecutive World Cups – demonstrates adaptability with and without possession of the ball, having beaten both England and Brazil in friendlies while controlling just 30% of possession.
Many analysts point out that the team’s main quality is its strong collective spirit, deeply rooted in Japanese culture.
Striker Ayase Ueda, 27 years old, is one of the team’s main names. He was the top scorer in the Eredivisie, the Netherlands’ top league, this season and scored the winning goal against Brazil in October.
- 11 victories for Brazil (1 in the 2006 World Cup)
- 2 draws
- 1 defeat
Sweden and its record against Brazil in World Cups
Among the three teams in Group F that Brazil could face in the next phase, Sweden is the one furthest away in the FIFA rankings, currently in 36th place.
The Swedish team has not participated in three of the last four World Cups, but managed to reach the quarterfinals in the 2018 edition.
For the 2026 World Cup, Sweden had a disastrous qualifying campaign, without recording any victories, and almost missed out. The place was secured in a playoff against Poland.
Sweden debuted in this World Cup with an impressive 5-1 victory over Tunisia, but suffered a setback in the second game against the Netherlands, when they lost by the same score: 5-1.
The team led by Graham Potter has high-level attackers, such as Gyökeres and Isak, but still does not have a defined starting goalkeeper and lacks quality options outside the main team.
Brazil and Sweden have faced each other 15 times throughout history, including a clash in the 1958 World Cup final, when Brazil won its first world title.
In the overall record of clashes, the Brazilian team won 10 times and drew three times. Sweden have only won twice, the last time being a friendly in 1989.
The Swedes have never beaten the Brazilians in World Cup games, although the teams have met on seven occasions in the tournament.
- 10 victories for Brazil (5 in World Cups: 1938, 1950, 1958, 1990 and 1994)
- 3 draws (2 in World Cups: 1978 and 1994)
- 2 defeats