Rebuilding Brazil host Bolivia

Brazil will resume their search for an elusive sixth World Cup title when they host Bolivia in Belem for the opening round of CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers on Friday night.

The vibe is very different from the start of its past five South American World Cup qualifying campaigns, though, because the Selecao are rebuilding with an interim coach, their star player not based in Europe and promising young players are either struggling for form or injured.

New coach Fernando Diniz, Al-Hilal striker Neymar, and low-scoring Richarlison represent the different faces of Brazil's uncertainty at the beginning of the road leading to the 2026 World Cup. And this time the Selecao will be under more pressure because their archrival, Argentina, are the World Cup champions.

However, the Selecao are still huge favourites in a clash against a side with one of the worst away records in international football, away from the altitude of La Paz.

With Diniz taking charge of Brazil until Carlo Ancelotti's arrival next summer, he will hope to set the Italian up with a good start in qualifying for the 2026 finals. His interim tenure will begin on Friday.

Diniz, a coach without a lot of silverware but with a lot of attacking style, will start his interim tenure Friday.

"Diniz sees football in a different way," striker Rodrygo told journalists upon arrival in Belem in the early hours of Tuesday. "Everyone here is very excited, with a lot of anticipation about this new cycle."

Brazil will be without the injured Vinicius Jr, and two other players who were also in the latest World Cup. Lucas Paquetá was removed from the squad due to a Premier League investigation that reportedly links him to illegal betting. Antony was dropped on Monday after details of a domestic violence accusation against him emerged this week.

Brazil remain the only nation who has qualified for every World Cup to date, and they will keep that record up if they can continue the home form they showed in reaching Qatar, winning all eight matches on home soil, ignoring the farcical tie against Argentina which was abandoned at 0-0 and never replayed.

Since 2009, Brazil have only dropped two points at home in World Cup qualifying, and they still maintain their astonishing record of having never lost a home qualifier in history.

In contrast, Brazil are matched up with a nation that has forgotten the taste of winning an away qualifier.