Report: Carlo Ancelotti to make key decision on Brazil role before 2026 World Cup
Brazil are fully focused on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aiming to raise their level ahead of the tournament, which will be held this summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In that context, head coach Carlo Ancelotti is nearing an important decision about his future.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and Carlo Ancelotti have already reached an agreement to renew the coach’s contract until the 2030 World Cup,” Globo Sport recently reported. “The expectation is that the new contract will be signed in the first weeks of February, thus guaranteeing another cycle in charge of Brazil.”
The Italian coach arrived in Brazil in May 2025 amid a crisis for the national team following failure at the 2024 Copa America and disappointing results in World Cup qualifiers under Fernando Diniz and Dorival Junior.
Ancelotti steadied Brazil’s trajectory and secured qualification for North America 2026, then used the October and November FIFA international windows to test different players in order to evaluate his options moving forward.
“With the agreement between the parties, the formalization of the new contract depends only on bureaucratic matters and is already under discussion in the legal department regarding clauses and details,” the report adds.
Ancelotti remains the highest-paid national team coach in the world
When Brazil moved to hire Carlo Ancelotti last year, they knew they were targeting one of the most prestigious coaches in the game. As a result, they offered him a contract that reflected that status, making him the highest-paid coach among all national teams worldwide.
According to reports, Ancelotti’s salary with Brazil is around €10 million per year (approximately $11.8 million). That figure is supplemented by a €5 million bonus should Brazil win the 2026 World Cup. “The extension will be under similar conditions, with adjustments to bonuses for achievements,” Globo Sport reports.
Brazil’s upcoming challenges
The March FIFA international window will be the final opportunity for coaches to experiment before finalizing their respective rosters for the World Cup. With that goal in mind, Brazil have scheduled two high-profile friendlies against elite European opponents: they will face France on March 26, followed by a match against Croatia five days later.
After those two matches, Carlo Ancelotti will have a much clearer picture heading into the World Cup. Brazil will open Group C play on June 13 against Morocco, then face Haiti six days later, and close the group stage against Scotland on June 24.