'I believe I will!' - Carlo Ancelotti confirms he is set to sign new Brazil contract ahead of 2026 World Cup

Ancelotti is set to feature in the next episode of Universo Valdano and in a preview for the interview, in quotes cited by AS, Ancelotti spoke on his enjoyment of the Brazil job thus far following recent reports he had reached a verbal agreement to sign an extension.

The 66-year-old began his first stint in international management in May 2025 following a successful four-year period as Real Madrid manager in his second spell at the club. Brazil approach the upcoming World Cup as one of the favourites as ever, though they are viewed by many as slightly behind the front-runners, having not won the World Cup since 2002.

The five-time world champions’ current world ranking of fifth reflects this, as they are behind European champions Spain, Argentina, France and England in the coefficient. But with Ancelotti set to be at the helm for the next two World Cups, they will fancy their chances of ending a 24-year wait for the greatest prize in the game.

Ancelotti said when asked about his future with Brazil: “I believe I will renew for four years with Brazil. It’s a new job, I like it a lot.”

He continued on Vinicius Jr, whom he used to manage at Real Madrid: “I’ve spoken with him. A player has to respect the coach and his teammates. He’s improved his attitude on the field a lot,” he emphasizes.

“Brazilians are very humble, they’re very different. The Vini who comes here is very different from the one at Real Madrid, on a human level,” he adds to show host Jorge Valdano, with the interview taking place at the Brazilian Football Confederation’s facilities.

Vinicius Jr has recently been the subject of alleged racial abuse by Gianluca Prestianni in Tuesday night’s Champions League knockout play-off tie, with an investigation ongoing.

Regarding the situation at former club Real Madrid – who saw his replacement Xabi Alonso sacked last month and now have Alvaro Arbeloa at the helm – Ancelotti said: “He [Alonso] has found difficulties… The spirit of adaptation is a very important component in a coach’s job, and trying to recreate an environment needs time that you can’t always get.”

When asked if he would like to ever return for a third stint at Santiago Bernabeu, Ancelotti responded: “That’s a good question…”, leaving his long-term future still up to interpretation. For the meantime, though, he appears to be committed to life in Brazil.

With Ancelotti set to sign a new four-year contract with Brazil, that is not only a massive boost for the Selecao, but also a blow to clubs such as Real and Manchester United, who may have been interested in appointing the Italian in the near future.

Ancelotti has a proven track record for winning on the biggest stages and also for managing some of the biggest star players and most demanding egos in the sport. While this Brazil side may not be as star-studded as some of those of the past, the squad still contains world-class players across the pitch and the nation demands success. It is a challenging project, but one which both manager and confederation clearly believe in.

The World Cup kicks off in just 112 days and preparations are more than underway, in terms of squad planning and in the hosts nations of the USA, Canada and Mexico. There may still be challenges to overcome, though – such as a stadium licensing row which could see Brazil’s Group C opponents Scotland have two fixtures moved – in the final months ahead of the return of world football’s greatest showcase.