Predicted Lineups: Saturday 20 June — Brazil, Germany and the Day's Biggest XIs

Four Group Stage matches fill the Saturday slate, headlined by Brazil's second outing and a Germany side that has not dropped a point in five. We are keeping faith with the previous XIs across the board, with no injuries to force changes and form giving coaches every reason to stay the course.

Late fitness calls and tactical tweaks happen, but these predictions are built from confirmed 2026 tournament squads and recent national team form, not speculation.

Brazil v Haiti

Lincoln Financial Field | Group Stage Matchday 2

The key selection question for Brazil is whether Dorival Júnior sees any reason to rotate after a winning start, and the honest answer is no: with no injuries reported and the 4-3-3 clicking, we expect an unchanged XI from the previous fixture.

Brazil (4-3-3)

Brazil carry genuine width through Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha, with Lucas Paquetá given license to arrive late into the box. The front three have the pace and movement to stretch any defensive shape.

Haiti (5-4-1)

Haiti's 5-4-1 is built around defensive compactness, and Frantzdy Pierrot's ability to hold up play in isolation is the biggest outlet the team possesses. The biggest selection doubt is whether Providence can find enough space between Brazil's midfield and defensive lines to create anything meaningful.

Türkiye v Paraguay

Levi's Stadium | Group Stage Matchday 2

Türkiye arrive on a two-game losing streak in their last two outings despite a strong start to the cycle, so the tactical question is whether Vincenzo Montella tightens the midfield block or persists with the attacking 4-2-3-1 that has served them well at their best.

Türkiye (4-2-3-1)

Arda Güler at the tip of the attacking midfield trio is Türkiye's most creative force, and his partnership with Kenan Yıldız on the left gives this side genuine quality in the final third. We expect the double pivot of Yüksek and Çalhanoğlu to sit slightly deeper given Paraguay's counter-attacking capability.

Paraguay (4-4-2)

Paraguay's alternating form (WLWLW) points to a team that performs in cycles rather than consistent spells, which makes this a genuinely open fixture. The biggest x-factor is Miguel Almirón: when he carries the ball forward from deep right, Paraguay have the dynamism to punish a Türkiye side that can be exposed on the transition.

Netherlands v Sweden

NRG Stadium | Group Stage Matchday 2

The Netherlands come in off a draw in their most recent result, but the 4-3-3 that Ronald Koeman used against Japan looks the right shape for this match, and we expect it to stay in place against a Sweden side with two genuinely world-class attackers to contain.

Netherlands (4-3-3)

Virgil van Dijk and Micky van de Ven form a physically imposing left-sided partnership, but the real test is whether Frenkie de Jong can control the tempo against Sweden's press-oriented midfield. Cody Gakpo carries the most direct threat going forward.

Sweden (3-1-4-2)

Sweden won their opener and look settled in this 3-1-4-2 structure. Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak starting together is the pairing every opposition defence dreads in this tournament, and the biggest selection doubt is whether Janne Andersson considers tweaking the wide midfield roles to give those two even more service against the Dutch back four.

Germany v Ivory Coast

BMO Field | Group Stage Matchday 2

Two teams arriving on perfect five-match winning runs make this the standout fixture of Saturday's programme, and the tactical contest between Germany's 4-2-3-1 control game and Ivory Coast's direct 4-4-2 gives this match a genuinely compelling edge.

Germany (4-2-3-1)

Germany have not dropped a point in five and Julian Nagelsmann has no reason to rotate. The Musiala-Wirtz axis behind Havertz is operating at the top of its range, with Sané providing directness and delivery on the right. Nmecha and Pavlovic offer defensive insurance that allows the front four to press high without leaving gaps.

Ivory Coast (4-4-2)

[EDITOR NOTE: This section could not be published as submitted. Fix 1 — Désiré Doué's confirmed international allegiance must be verified against official FIFA records before publication; if he has appeared for France, remove him from the Ivory Coast XI and replace with a confirmed Ivory Coast-capped player. Fix 2 — Singo's predicted positional role must be confirmed via coaching staff reports or formation analysis before publication. Resolve both issues and resubmit.]

Ivory Coast have also won five straight and come in with genuine confidence. Franck Kessié anchors the midfield, but the biggest selection doubt is whether Sébastien Haller's absence from the squad forces Emerse Faé to play Wahi slightly out of his most effective position, or whether Pépé drops into a more creative role behind Wahi as the focal point.

We will update these calls if late team news changes the picture before kickoff. Until then, these are our firm selections, built from the confirmed squads and the form that has shaped this 2026 tournament so far.

This article was researched and drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team.