Brazil World Cup Lockdown: Inside the Squad Code of Conduct
BRAZIL · WORLD CUP
Key Facts
—The rules: the Brazilian federation, the CBF, has drawn up a code of conduct covering phones, social media, behaviour and family visits.
—Closed camp: the team hotel and training centre are sealed, open only to press and, one day a week, to players’ families.
—Families apart: relatives will not stay in the squad hotel, and the CBF decides who may enter the camp.
—The message: Carlo Ancelotti said the squad is “not going to a party” but to work and try to win the trophy.
—The breaks: players get single rest days after each group match, on June 14, 20 and 25, when family contact is allowed.
—The stakes: Brazil has not won the World Cup since 2002, a drought of 24 years for the five-time champions.
Brazil’s World Cup squad will live under a strict code of conduct in the United States, with a sealed hotel, families kept at a distance and tight rules on phones, as Carlo Ancelotti tries to end a 24-year title wait.
What the code of conduct sets out
According to Brazilian outlets, the CBF has prepared a written code of conduct that every player must follow during the tournament. It governs the use of mobile phones and social media, day-to-day behaviour and, above all, who may visit the squad.
The most striking provision keeps players’ relatives out of the team hotel entirely, housed in a separate location. Access to the group is restricted, and the federation itself decides who is allowed into the camp at all.
A sealed camp in New Jersey
Speaking to Prime Video on the squad’s arrival in New Jersey, Ancelotti said both the hotel and the training centre would have controlled access during the preparation period. Only the press, and family members on one designated day of the week, would be allowed in.
The Italian framed the regime bluntly, saying the squad was “not going to a party” but going to work and try to win the World Cup. The closed setup, he indicated, was designed to head off problems before they start.
The structure leaves little room for downtime. Rest days are set for after each group-stage fixture, on June 14, 20 and 25.
Why the isolation matters now
The lockdown is best read as pressure management rather than mere logistics. Brazil last lifted the trophy in 2002, and a 24-year wait weighs heavily on a nation that measures itself by World Cup titles.
Ancelotti made an indirect reference to past tournaments where the squad’s base felt closer to a holiday resort than a workplace. CBF president Samir Xaud has publicly explained the visit restrictions, signalling that the federation, not the players, now sets the terms of camp life.
An echo of camps past
The approach invites comparison with how Brazil ran recent campaigns, when relatives, friends and guests sometimes circulated freely and the players’ focus came second. By contrast, this camp is built around closed sessions and minimal outside contact.
For a coach with five Champions League titles, the calculation is familiar: control the environment, reduce distraction and let the football do the rest. Whether the discipline translates into results will become clear once the group stage begins.
The road to the opener
Before the tournament proper, Brazil face Egypt in a friendly in Cleveland on Saturday, June 6, the squad’s final tune-up. The World Cup campaign then opens against Morocco in New Jersey on June 13, in a Group C that also features Haiti and Scotland.
The closed-camp regime will be in force throughout. For Ancelotti and the CBF, it is a visible bet that a quieter, more controlled base gives Brazil its best chance of ending the drought.
Frequently asked questions
What is Brazil's World Cup code of conduct?
The CBF has drawn up written rules covering phones, social media, behaviour and family visits that every player must follow during the tournament.
Can players' families visit the camp?
Relatives will not stay in the squad hotel and are housed separately. The CBF decides who may enter, and families are allowed in on one designated day a week.
Why has Brazil imposed such strict rules?
Coach Carlo Ancelotti said the squad is 'not going to a party' but to work and win. Brazil has not won the World Cup since 2002, a 24-year drought for the five-time champions.
Connected Coverage
For more on the build-up, see how Brazil and Morocco set up camp minutes apart in New Jersey and our wider guide to the business of Brazilian football in 2026.
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