Morocco will be Brazil's first opponent in the 2026 World Cup, next Saturday (13), at 7pm (Brasília time), in New Jersey. Current champion of the African Cup of Nations —  the continent's most important championship —  the Moroccan team is one of the highlights of this edition of the World Cup.  Nicknamed the Lions of the Atlas, the team surprised the world in the Qatar Cup (2022), when they came in fourth place, even ahead of Brazil, who finished seventh, after being eliminated by Croatia on penalties. By becoming the first team from the African continent to reach a World Cup semi-final, Morocco won fans from various parts of the world. In the Qatar Cup, the Atlas Lions were eliminated by France, who would later be runners-up, after losing to Argentina on penalties. Related news: Brazil meets old acquaintances in Group C of the World Cup. Challenger Group I of the Cup brings together France, Norway, Senegal and Iraq. Unstable summer weather could turn the World Cup into a test of endurance. “Morocco had a historic campaign in 2022", recalled the historian and sports commentator for TV Brasil, Rachel Motta. In her assessment, Morocco will be a challenging opponent for Brazil. “It’s a team that has one of the best backs in history, [Achraf] Hakimi, while the Brazilian team has many problems on the left side”, pointed out the historian, referring to the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player. قائمة المنتخب الوطني النسوي المستدعاة للتجمع الإعدادي #DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/hOxMqa1Aox June 1, 2026 For the historian, Hakimi will be heavily involved in the game, putting pressure on the Brazilian attack, especially Vinicius Júnior who plays on the left. The victory is important, since the leadership position in the group can be advantageous in the knockout stage (stage before the round of 16). Brazil and Morocco are in Group C, which also includes Scotland and Haiti. In addition to Morocco, nine other African teams are competing in this year's World Cup, based in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The number of delegations is unprecedented in the competition, which for the first time brings together 48 teams, 16 more than in the last edition in Qatar.  Opening of the World Cup The World Cup begins this Thursday (11), with the opening game between Mexico and South Africa, at 4pm (Brasília time), at the Azteca Stadium, in Mexico City, the country's capital. The South Africans return to the World Cup after a 16-year hiatus.  The last participation was when South Africa itself hosted the World Cup, in 2010. The edition was the first held on the African continent.  Other highlights  In addition to South Africa and Morocco, historian Rachel Motta highlights other relevant selections from the African continent, such as Senegal, Ghana and Egypt.  She remembers the friendly between Brazilians and Egyptians last Saturday (6) to highlight the potential of the Pharaohs, as they are called. “They have top players, like [striker Mohamed] Salah and [right-winger Mahmoud] Trezeguet, and they have a chance of going to the next stage”, projected the commentator.  Egypt returns to the World Cup after missing out on the last edition. The country, a pioneer in mathematics, was the first African and Arab nation to compete in the World Cup, in 1934, in Italy.  Senegal is also competing in the World Cup for the fourth time and will have in its squad the star and reference of the sport in the country, striker Sadio Mané, currently at the Saudi club Al-Nassr. The team arrives with the baggage of three consecutive World Cups and the memory of the successful campaign in the Japan Cup (2002), when they reached the quarter-finals.  “Senegal is a top-notch team, however, it faces one of the most difficult brackets competing against France and Norway”, pondered the sports commentator.  Sadio Sadio Sadio ❤️ 🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/FBqgKR8bzQ January 20, 2026 Ghana, for the World Cup in a row, is looking for a result equal to or better than the World Cup in South Africa (2010), when it reached the quarter-finals. The team, known by the nickname Black Stars, was eliminated by Uruguay, after a controversial episode. After a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time, Uruguayan Luis Suárez used his hands to prevent a goal. When taking the penalty, the player Gyan hit the crossbar and did not score. “They are very skilled, sharp players, with beautiful football to watch”, highlighted Motta. She said that the country mirrors Brazilian football and recalled that Ghana was once led by coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, at the end of the 1960s. Algeria, nicknamed the Desert Fox, played in the last World Cup in Brazil, in 2014. The team played an epic match in the round of 16, at the Beira-Rio Stadium, in Porto Alegre, against Germany — the same team that scored seven goals against Brazil in the semi-final, at Mineirão. The Algerian team ended up losing 2-1, but required effort from the opposing goalkeeper, with several chances to score. Debut teams  This edition of the World Cup is also marked by the presence of teams that are debuting or have less experience in the tournament. From Cape Verde, an island country in the Atlantic Ocean, the team nicknamed the Blue Sharks arrive with high self-esteem, formed by a team of players from the diaspora. A good part of them, working in Europe. The Democratic Republic of Congo returns to the World Cup after more than 50 years, bypassing the Ebola epidemic in the country. The classification took place after the victory against Jamaica, in the playoff.  Before, the country still competed like Zaire.   From just Egypt in 1934 to 10 teams in 2026 https://t.co/3jbUwhpBYt #FIFAWorldCup | #FIFAWorldCup2026 pic.twitter.com/R3hIoW1kKm June 4, 2026 For Rachel Motta, diversity is one of the positive points of this edition of the tournament and marks the appreciation of African players. According to the commentator, these athletes are gaining more and more space in European football, with a “more refined technical level”. Furthermore, many African teams turned to descendants who were born or live outside their own countries and, therefore, came to be called “diaspora teams”, a term that refers to the dispersion of African people around the world depending on the political and social context. Risks Despite the good moment, Rachel Motta draws attention to the adversities that delegations and industry professionals may encounter at the World Cup. Earlier this week, Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the United States. He is considered one of the main names in African arbitration. “The United States is at war with another country, Iran, so, if we look at the articles that deal with ethics, FIFA regulations and the UN Charter itself [Organização das Nações Unidas], which say they promote human rights and peace through football, the United States could not host a World Cup”, argued the historian. African teams at the 2026 World Cup South Africa  Algeria  Cape Verde  Ivory Coast Egypt  Ghana  Morocco Democratic Republic of the Congo Senegal  Tunisia