Brazil have begun rebuilding following their disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign, with head coach Carlo Ancelotti recalling Chelsea striker Pedro and Barcelona captain Raphinha for the national team’s upcoming friendlies against Australia and India.
The call-ups form part of Ancelotti’s plans to begin a new cycle as Brazil look ahead to the 2028 Copa América and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The first international break of the 2026/27 season will run from September 21 to October 6. The extended window, which combines the traditional September and October breaks, will allow national teams to play up to four matches.
In the Premier League and most major European leagues, club football will pause after Matchweek 5, with fixtures scheduled around September 19 and 20, before resuming with Matchweek 6 in October.
Raphinha’s return is particularly significant after the Barcelona forward missed Brazil’s World Cup campaign because of a hamstring injury. He had been expected to play an important role under Ancelotti but was ruled out during the team’s preparations for the tournament.
Pedro, meanwhile, has been handed another opportunity with the national team after being left out of Brazil’s World Cup squad.
Ancelotti has selected a youthful 26-man squad that combines experienced players with several emerging talents. Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Endrick, Chelsea’s Estêvão, Tottenham forward Rayan, Chelsea striker João Pedro and Atlético Madrid forward Samuel Lino are among those included.
Experienced players such as Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães, Marquinhos and Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimarães have also retained their places.
Eight players who were not part of Brazil’s World Cup squad have been called up, including goalkeeper Pedro Morisco, defenders Arthur Dias and Jair, midfielder Breno Bidon and Gabriel Bontempo.
Neymar is notably absent from the squad after indicating that he intends to retire from international football following the World Cup.
Ancelotti said the upcoming friendlies would provide an opportunity to assess younger players as Brazil begin preparing for their next major tournaments.
“With these three friendly matches, we will begin a new cycle to project the National Team towards the goals of the coming years, which are the 2028 Copa América and the 2030 World Cup,” Ancelotti said, according to the Brazilian Football Confederation.
“We will take advantage of these three friendlies to call up new players for the National Team, especially young players, who can showcase their talent in the coming years.”
Brazil will face Australia twice during the international window. The first meeting will take place on September 25 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, followed by another encounter at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on September 29.
They will then face India at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 3.
The match against India will be Brazil’s first senior international meeting with the Asian nation. Brazil’s most recent encounter with Australia came in June 2017, when they recorded a 4-0 victory in Melbourne, with goals from Diego Souza, Thiago Silva and Taison.
Brazil are also scheduled to return to Asia in November, with Ancelotti’s side set to face Japan on November 14 and Singapore on November 17.
The subsequent international breaks are scheduled for November 9–17, 2026, and March 22–30, 2027, both standard two-match windows.
The revised international calendar was introduced partly because of the late conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, whose final was played on July 19, as well as concerns over player welfare and international travel.
Notable omissions from Ancelotti’s squad include Brentford forward Igor Thiago, who featured at the World Cup, and former Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli, now with Al Hilal.
The upcoming fixtures will give Ancelotti his first opportunity to shape Brazil’s post-World Cup team, with the return of Raphinha and Pedro providing experience while a new generation of players begins to emerge.
