Will Neymar Play at the 2026 World Cup? Here's Everything We Know
The question that has followed Brazilian football for the better part of two years is no closer to a definitive answer — but new details from Santos have at least given Neymar's World Cup hopes a clearer timeline.
The Plan: 13 Consecutive Games
Santos manager Cuca has revealed that Neymar is set to play 13 consecutive matches for the club in the buildup to this summer's World Cup — a structured run of games designed to give the 34-year-old the best possible chance of forcing his way into Carlo Ancelotti's final Brazil squad.
The forward has shown encouraging signs since returning from injury earlier this year, contributing to six goals in as many appearances for his boyhood club. But concern resurfaced this weekend when Neymar was absent from Santos' 3-1 defeat to Flamengo, having undergone a procedure on his knee during the March international window.
Cuca was quick to provide context. "During this break we had, he underwent a procedure on his knee, so he didn't train and spent four or five days recovering," the manager explained. "He'll recharge his energy to play the 13 consecutive games that remain until the next break. We used this time to recharge his tank and get him going until the middle of the year."
Neymar will also miss Santos' midweek CONMEBOL Sudamericana opener against Deportivo Cuenca, but the club insists this is entirely within the agreed plan.
What Procedure Did He Have?
The nature of the treatment will come as some reassurance to those who feared the worst. Neymar underwent Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy — a procedure that uses the player's own blood to regenerate tissue and treat micro-lesions. It is a regenerative treatment rather than a surgical intervention, and forms part of Santos' broader programme to keep Neymar fit and available through the club season and into the World Cup window.
The 13 remaining fixtures include eight Brasileirão rounds, two Copa do Brasil ties and the remaining group stage games in the Copa Sudamericana — a demanding schedule that will tell us a great deal about where Neymar's physical condition truly stands.
Ancelotti Remains Unconvinced
Even if Neymar completes every one of those 13 matches, a World Cup call-up is far from guaranteed. Brazil head coach Ancelotti has been consistent and unambiguous on the subject: Neymar will not be selected until he is operating at "100% of his capability." What that threshold actually looks like in practice — and how many games constitute sufficient proof — remains deliberately unclear.
The cold reality of Brazil's attacking options makes Ancelotti's caution easier to understand. Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, João Pedro, Estêvão, Endrick and Gabriel Martinelli represent one of the most formidable collections of forward talent in world football, all of them playing regularly for leading European clubs. Neymar has not appeared for the national team since tearing his ACL in October 2023 — a gap of nearly two and a half years by the time the World Cup begins.
The Verdict
The path to North America exists, but it is narrow. Neymar needs to stay fit through 13 club matches, convince a sceptical coach that he belongs ahead of players half his age who are in peak form, and do all of it against the backdrop of an injury history that has repeatedly undermined his best intentions.
Santos have given him the structure. Ancelotti has set the standard. Whether Neymar can meet it — in the small window of time that remains — is the question that Brazilian football cannot stop asking.
