Hakimi leads Morocco into World Cup opener against Brazil in New Jersey

Achraf Hakimi arrived in East Rutherford with Morocco carrying more than a group-stage assignment. Against Brazil at MetLife Stadium, the Atlas Lions opened their 2026 World Cup campaign as a team trying to turn their Qatar 2022 breakthrough into something even bigger.

The matchup brought together Brazil, a five-time world champion, and Morocco, the historic semifinalist that has become one of Africa’s strongest sides. Kickoff was set for 18:00 local time in New Jersey, or 22:00 UTC, and Morocco was based in New Jersey for the start of Group C before later matches against Scotland and Haiti.

Hakimi was at the center of that ambition. The Paris Saint-Germain full-back was named as Morocco’s captain for the tournament and was included in the squad announced by coach Mohamed Ouahbi on May 26. Morocco’s 26-man roster also featured nine players from the team that made history in Qatar in 2022, giving the side a blend of continuity and pressure that reflected the scale of the moment.

The spotlight before kickoff also fell on Hakimi’s duel with Vinícius Júnior, a matchup that underscored how Morocco’s rise has changed the way opponents approach it. Brazil brought the weight of its five titles and its usual expectation of control; Morocco brought the momentum of a program that no longer arrives as a surprise package, but as a contender capable of challenging elite opposition on the sport’s biggest stage.

For Morocco, the opener in New Jersey was about more than collecting points in Group C. It was another test of whether the team’s 2022 run was a peak or the start of a longer climb, with Hakimi’s leadership and the memory of that semifinal push now tied to every step the Atlas Lions take in this tournament.