Why Is Neymar Not Playing Tonight for Brazil vs Panama?

Brazil enter their final World Cup preparations under pressure, with new head coach Carlo Ancelotti looking to guide the team back to the top of world football.

The South American giants had a challenging and highly turbulent qualifying campaign, finishing in 5th place with 28 points in the final CONMEBOL standings to secure one of the automatic spots.

The team is also looking to move on from its last World Cup disappointment. In Qatar in 2022, Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Croatia on penalties after being considered one of the favorites to win the tournament.

Brazil face Panama tonight in a warm-up match ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Panama are preparing for only the second World Cup appearance in their history after making their debut at the 2018 tournament in Russia.

This match gives Panama a chance to test themselves against one of the most successful teams in international football ahead of the tournament.

Why is Neymar Not Playing Against Panama?

Neymar is missing tonight's match because of the injury he suffered against Coritiba in the Brazilian league.

The forward suffered a grade-two muscle strain in his right calf and is expected to miss the second friendly as well.

Despite the injury, Neymar was included in Brazil's squad for the 2026 World Cup amid huge fanfare with Ancelotti and the coaching staff confident he still has a chance of playing a big role in the tournament.

However, there are concerns that Neymar could miss Brazil's opening World Cup match against Morocco.

The medical team is monitoring his progress, and a final decision on his availability for the opener will depend on how quickly he returns to full fitness.

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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 4:30 PM.