‘Best sporting event I’ve ever been to.’ US fans have been celebrating their team’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup, lifting a replica trophy outside the Los Angeles stadium.

Local police say an investigation is under way over the possible theft of equipment which was arriving in Kansas City.

England’s World Cup preparations have been hit by the theft of training equipment ahead of the squad’s arrival at their base in Kansas City, Missouri.

The incident occurred while equipment was being transferred from England’s pre-tournament base in Florida to Swope Soccer Village, where it was supposed to be in place before the squad begin training after they arrive in Kansas City on Saturday.

Balls and boots are reportedly among the items stolen, according to British media reports. Local police in Kansas City are now looking into the incident.

“We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City with items missing this evening,” police said.

“The investigation is ongoing. Two subjects of interest were taken into custody pending further investigation.”

The theft could affect England’s preparations for their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday in Dallas.

The squad is due to arrive at their World Cup base on Saturday, after spending time in Florida to acclimatise to the hot and humid conditions. The Three Lions played warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica in Tampa Bay and Orlando.

Algeria, Argentina and the Netherlands have also chosen to base themselves in or around Kansas City.

The 2026 World Cup will have 13 different kickoff times. You can use the Al Jazeera Sport widget to find out exactly when your team is playing in your local time.

Who: Brazil vs Morocco
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
When: Saturday, 6pm local time (22:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 19:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

The biggest match of the 2026 World Cup so far will be played on Saturday when record five-time champions Brazil face African giants Morocco in a scintillating Group C fixture.

As the World Cup’s most successful side, Brazil are usually among the favourites for the title, but this time, they are not in the bookmakers’ top picks.

While Carlo Ancelotti’s team is one of the least fancied Brazilian World Cup sides of all time, the squad is still loaded with talent, boasting the likes of Vinicius Jr, Raphinha, and veteran Neymar Jr.

Unlike other teams, who open their campaign against more modest oppositions, Brazil have a rough start, facing the reigning African champions Morocco in what is expected to be their sternest group test.

With Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz in their ranks, the Moroccan side is full of promise and firepower, and as history has shown, they are capable of challenging the world’s best.

Al Jazeera tells you all you need to know about Brazil vs Morocco:

Bruised Brazil begin hunt for sixth world title

With a new coach at the helm, a string of injuries and a chaotic qualifying campaign, Brazil have had far from a perfect run-up to the World Cup 2026.

Chasing a long-awaited record-extending sixth World Cup trophy, Ancelotti knows he has a big task on his hands to turn around the fortunes of a Brazilian team which suffered quarterfinal exits in four of the last five tournaments.

Brazil never slip quietly into a World Cup, but expectations are unusually restrained. It has been 24 years since they were last crowned world champions.

“It is a good thing that there are some doubts about the team, because that has been the case on other occasions in the past,” said goalkeeper Alisson, with a nod to Brazil teams at previous tournaments who were not considered favourites but went on to lift the trophy.

Brazil have a star-studded squad, starting with Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes at the back, Vinicius Jr and Raphinha on the wings, and Matheus Cunha up top. Neymar is also back in the squad after a two and a half year absence, but his long decline from untouchable talisman to fitness gamble has added uncertainty to Brazil’s World Cup campaign.

Can Morocco stun Brazil?

Morocco were the great disruptors of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, knocking out Spain and Portugal before losing to France in the semifinals.

The first African and Arab nation to reach the World Cup semis, Morocco arrive at the 2026 tournament tipped to enjoy the best run from the teams in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Built around a generation of players shaped in the academies and leagues of Spain and France, Morocco have enough quality to make Brazil’s opening night uncomfortable.

However, they also arrive amid turbulence of their own.

Morocco began 2026 by losing the Africa Cup of Nations final to Senegal on home soil, only to be ⁠later awarded the title controversially as their rivals were punished for walking off the ⁠pitch in protest over a penalty.

Long-serving coach Walid Regragui quit three months before the World Cup and was replaced by Belgian-born Mohamed Ouahbi, promoted from the youth set-up after guiding Morocco to the under-20 World Cup title in Chile last year.

Brazil vs Morocco prediction

Stats provider Opta Analyst has given Brazil a 57.7 percent chance of winning against Morocco, who have 18.8 percent odds of victory.

There is a 23.5 percent chance the match ends in a draw.

Overall, Brazil have a 65.85 percent shot at topping Group C, while Morocco has a 23.14 percent chance of the same.

How to watch Brazil vs Morocco?

Fans in Brazil can watch the match on SBT, GETV, Globoplay, sportv, NSPORTS, Caze TV and TV Globo. Kickoff is at 7pm local time in Rio de Janeiro.

In Morocco, the match kicks off at 11pm local time and viewers can watch the action live on beIN SPORTS Max 2 and 4.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch it on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, ITV and STV, while in the United States, fans can tune into FOX, Telemundo App and Network, FOX One and Peacock.

How does the World Cup group stage work?

Brazil, Morocco, Haiti and Scotland are in Group C.

The top two teams from each of the 12 groups – along with the eight best third-placed teams – proceed to the next phase, the round of 32, which has been introduced at the World Cup for the first time.

Form guide:

(Last five games, latest first)

Brazil: W-W-W-L-D

Morocco: D-W-W-W-D

Morocco have a better record than Brazil in the last five games, drawing with Norway and thrashing Madagascar in June friendlies. Before that, they thumped Burundi in May, and beat Panama and drew with Ecuador in March.

Brazil registered victories over Egypt and Panama in pre-World Cup friendlies and beat Croatia in March. But they lost to France in March and drew with Tunisia in November last year.

Brazil lead Morocco in head-to-head record

Saturday’s meeting will be the fourth time Brazil face Morocco. Brazil have two wins, while Morocco have one – their latest meeting in 2023, a friendly, which the Atlas Lions won 2-1.

The last time Brazil played Morocco at a World Cup was in 1998 – also in a group game – as Brazil won 3-0, thanks to goals from Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Bebeto.

Neymar ruled out for Brazil, Morocco lose Ezzalzouli and Aguerd

Rodrygo, Estevao, Eder ⁠Militao and Wesley – all potential starters for Brazil – are not in the squad due to injuries, while Neymar has been ruled out of the match against Morocco as he continues to recover from a calf injury. When he may return, and in what condition, remains uncertain.

Injuries have added to the disruption within Morocco’s squad, too, with Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli cut from the squad after being hurt in Morocco’s final friendly. Amine Sbai and Marwane Saadane have been named as their replacements.

Brazil predicted XI

Morocco predicted XI

As reports emerge of a possible US-Iran agreement, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna says that President Donald Trump is looking for an ‘off-ramp’ from a war that has driven up economic costs and faces growing domestic opposition. The White House has yet to reveal details of any deal.

The Israeli military has ordered residents of 20 Lebanese towns and villages to leave their homes immediately.

Israeli air raids across southern Lebanon have killed one person as attacks continue despite a United States-brokered “ceasefire”.

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that the person was killed in an Israeli air raid in the municipality of Maarakeh, in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon.

Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett, reporting from Beirut, said that over the course of Friday and into the evening, there were continued Israeli air attacks on towns and villages that are well north of what the Israelis call the “Yellow Line” – the part of southern Lebanon that they have been seeking to control and to occupy.

The attacks come after an announcement by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday that the United States and Iran have agreed on the wording of an agreement aimed at ending their war in the Middle East, and that mediators were working with both sides to finalise a deal.

Iranian media report the initial agreement would declare an end to the war “on all fronts, including Lebanon”.

This has led to fears that Israel’s actions in Lebanon could scupper a deal, since Israel is not a party to the negotiations between the US and Iran, and its leaders have said they do not plan to withdraw from Lebanon.

The attacks also come amid a supposed ceasefire, agreed between Israeli and Lebanese officials earlier this month, that would require a “complete cessation” of fire by Hezbollah, yet the fighting continues.

The next round of talks between the two countries is expected on June 22, with a view towards reaching a comprehensive agreement.

Israel issues forced displacement orders, demolishes homes

Israeli attacks at dawn have demolished homes and government buildings in southern Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil, the country’s NNA reports.

The Israeli military also ordered residents of 20 Lebanese towns and villages to leave their homes immediately and move “north of the Zahrani River”.

The forced displacement orders apply to Deir al-Zahrani, al-Namirieh, al-Sharquieh, al-Dewayr, Harouf, Habboush, Kfarjoz, Zibdine (Nabatieh), Nabatieh al-Tahta, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Kfar Rouman, Al-Mahmoudieh, Sajed (Jezzine), Reihan, Aaramta, Kfarchouba, Mlki, Al-Lawiza (Jezzine), Jarjouh and Arab Salim.

On Saturday, the Israeli military said an air raid alert had been activated in the northern town of Metula due to the “infiltration of a hostile aircraft” from Lebanon, but did not name the armed group Hezbollah.