RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -Brazil will play South Korea and Japan in friendly matches in October as part of their preparation for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Tuesday.
The five-times world champions will face South Korea in Seoul on October 10 and Japan in Tokyo on October 14.
Brazil have already secured their place at the 2026 World Cup,and are set to play Chile and Bolivia next month in their final two qualifiers.
CBF General coordinator Rodrigo Caetano said the friendlies come as Carlo Ancelotti's side seekto face teams from different backgrounds in the lead up to the World Cup.
"After the friendlies against South Korea and Japan, our plan is to play against African national teams in November and top-tier European teams in March and June of 2026," Caetano said.
"We understand that facing different soccer styles from around the world will bring valuable experience and challenges that we might encounter at the World Cup," he added.
Ancelotti said he hopes the matches will help him better understand the players' characteristics and personalities ahead of next year's 48-team tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 66-year-old Italian took over Brazil in May after a successful spell at Real Madrid.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro and Gabriel Araujo in Sao PauloEditing by Christian Radnedge)
