Rio de Janeiro Daily Brief for Wednesday, June 24, 2026

This is the night. Brazil face Scotland at 7 pm in the group decider, with top spot in Group C on the line — and Neymar back in the squad.

Wrap up and bring a brolly. At a cooler 21°C with a good chance of rain, today is one for the bars and indoors — ideal for the football.

The Bovespa is climbing. It rose for a second day on Tuesday to above 171,000, even as the central bank’s minutes struck a firm tone on rates.

Brighter days are coming. The rain clears from Friday into a dry, mild weekend, so today’s grey spell is a short one.

01

Weather & What to Wear

FOUR-DAY OUTLOOK

WED 24

21°C

67% rain

THU 25

20°C

60% rain

FRI 26

23°C

20% rain

SAT 27

23°C

10% rain

The fine spell has broken. Today is cooler and greyer at 21°C, with around a 67% chance of rain, so it is a day to keep an umbrella handy and lean toward indoor plans.

Dress for the change: a light jacket, something water-resistant, and a layer for the cooler evening. It is hardly cold, but the warm, beachy days of earlier in the week have given way to something more unsettled.

As it happens, it suits the football, a night for a warm bar rather than the open air. And the outlook brightens: the rain eases from Friday into a dry, mild weekend near 23°C, so today’s grey is short-lived.

02

Day at a Glance

SNAPSHOT

— Weather: 21°C, cooler and wet, 67% chance of rain

— Tonight: Brazil vs Scotland, the group decider, 7 pm BRT

— Team news: Neymar back in the squad; Raphinha ruled out injured

— Markets: Ibovespa up a second day to above 171,000 on Tuesday

— Rates: Copom minutes struck a firm tone; Selic at 14.25%

— Indoors today: the CCBB and the port museums, good for a wet day

A grey, cool Wednesday, the whole city pointing toward kickoff.

03

What to See & Do

WEDNESDAY IN RIO

TODAY’S PICK — THE CCBB

A grand refuge from the rain

With the Amano retrospective now closed and the weather turned wet, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil remains a fine way to spend a grey morning, its rolling programme of exhibitions always worth a look. It is one of the busiest cultural centres in the country, and entry to most of it is free.

The building alone justifies the trip, a beautifully restored early-twentieth-century banking hall on Rua Primeiro de Março, with a soaring glass-domed rotunda at its heart. Across its floors you will usually find several exhibitions running at once, spanning art, design and film, along with a cinema, a theatre, a café and a good bookshop.

On a wet day it is the kind of place where an hour easily becomes three, with plenty to see under one roof.

It sits in the heart of historic Centro, a short walk from the other grand old buildings of the financial district and an easy Metrô ride from the Zona Sul. Check the listings before you go, as the bigger shows sometimes need a free timed ticket, booked online or at the door, and they can sell out on a wet day when everyone else has the same indoor idea.

On a rainy Wednesday with the football to come, a morning of culture here is a smart, dry way to fill the hours before kickoff — and a reminder that Centro’s restored landmarks reward a wander even when the skies are grey.

OUTDOORS — ONE FOR THE WEEKEND

Hold off for the dry days

With cloud and a good chance of rain, today is not the day for the beach or a long walk. The sea will be greyer and the sand quiet, so the outdoors is best saved for later in the week when the weather turns kinder.

If you do want some air between showers, the Aterro do Flamengo and the Lagoa are still pleasant for a brisk turn, just keep an umbrella to hand and an eye on the sky. But there is no need to force it on a wet Wednesday when a museum or a café is by far the more tempting option.

The reward comes at the weekend. Friday eases to a drier 23°C, and Saturday looks dry and mild, so the beach and the viewpoints will be back in their best form before long.

Save Pão de Açúcar, the Lagoa and a proper beach day for then, when the skies clear and the sea turns blue again — today is simply not the day to chase them.

COFFEE & WHERE TO WORK — CENTRO & BOTAFOGO

A warm desk on a wet day

A cool, rainy Wednesday is a fine day to get the work done before the football, and Rio has snug spots for it. In Centro, near the CCBB, Curto Café is the pick for excellent coffee and a focused hour, with its relaxed pay-what-you-think spirit.

Over in Botafogo, Urban Bean keeps a calm, dry room and a steady connection, and Como Coworking nearby is the dependable choice for a full day at a desk out of the wet. Both are well placed for a warming lunch when the rain is coming down.

If you are near the port, the WeWork Porto Maravilha and the cafés around Praça Mauá make a pleasant base, with the museums close by for a break. On a grey day, finishing up in good time to claim a bar table before kickoff is the smart play.

THE CONTRASTING PLAY — MUSEU DO AMANHÃ

The future, down at the port

For another strong indoor option, the Museu do Amanhã at Praça Mauá is one of Rio’s modern landmarks, Santiago Calatrava’s striking spaceship of a building jutting out over the water. Its exhibitions explore science, sustainability and the possible futures facing humanity through immersive, interactive displays, making for an engaging and thought-provoking few hours suitable for all ages, children included.

It is an easy trip on the VLT to Praça Mauá, and the MAR sits right beside it, so the pair make a strong cultural couple at the revived port for a wet day. The waterfront setting is dramatic even under grey skies, and being fully indoors, it is an ideal place to dodge the rain and fill a few hours before the evening’s football gets under way.

A combined ticket for both museums makes a full cultural morning of it.

TONIGHT, AFTER 7 PM

The decider, from a warm bar

Tonight is the big one. Brazil kick off against Scotland at 7 pm in the group decider, and with the weather wet, the city’s bars and botequins will be the place to be — full of people in yellow, screens on and the chope flowing against the chill.

For atmosphere, the bars of Lapa and the botequins of Botafogo are good, lively bets, and being indoors they suit a rainy night perfectly. Claim a table well before kickoff, as they fill fast on a match night, and the covered, enclosed spots will be especially popular with the rain about, so it pays to arrive in good time.

If Brazil win and seal top spot, expect the celebrations to carry on into the night despite the weather. Keep your valuables close in the crowds, take only what you need, and enjoy a proper World Cup match night — one of the things Rio does best, rain or shine, with the knockout rounds now coming into view and a place at the top of the group there to be won.

ALSO ON TODAY

Brazil vs Scotland — 7 pm BRT, on Globo, SporTV and Globoplay; the group decider.

CCBB — R. Primeiro de Março 66, free, 9 am–8 pm, exhibitions and a grand hall.

Museu do Amanhã — Praça Mauá 1, open today, science and the future at the port.

MAR — Praça Mauá 5, open today, art and the city under one roof.

This weekend: the rain clears to a dry, mild Friday and Saturday near 23°C.

04

Getting Around

TRANSPORT

Rain always slows Rio’s roads and crowds the Metrô, so allow extra time today, especially around the evening rush and kickoff. The Metrô is still the most reliable way around, keeping you out of the wet and the traffic.

For the CCBB and Centro, take the Metrô to Uruguaiana or Carioca, with the VLT serving the port museums. If you are heading out to watch the match, plan your route and expect ride apps to surge around kickoff and full time.

05

Where to Eat

LUNCH & DINNER

Lunch: Warming food suits a wet day. A per-kilo lunch in Centro near the CCBB is quick and hearty, or duck into a botequim for a hot plate — feijoada, a caldo or a fish stew is just the thing when the rain is coming down.

Dinner: Tonight, dinner and the match go together. The botequins of Botafogo and the indoor bars of Lapa do petiscos and cold beer made for game-watching, so settle in early somewhere snug with a screen and a good crowd.

06

Practical Info

GOOD TO KNOW

For match night, the game is on Globo, SporTV and Globoplay from 7 pm. With the rain about, indoor and covered bars will fill fast, so book or arrive early, and have a plan for getting home through the post-match rush in the wet.

On the markets, the Bovespa rose again on Tuesday to above 171,000, even as the central bank’s meeting minutes struck a firm, cautious tone on inflation and signalled rates staying high for longer. The Selic is at 14.25%.

07

Community & Lifestyle

FOR NEWCOMERS

A World Cup night in the rain is its own kind of fun, and watching the game out among the crowds is the best way to feel the city’s pulse. For newcomers, a packed, steamy bar on a wet night is as warm a welcome to carioca life as the beach on a sunny day.

A few tips: wear something yellow, get to your bar early to claim a spot, and take only what you need into the crowds. Win or lose, the shared experience is the point, and a rainy decider only makes the warmth of the room all the better.

08

Game Day

THE DECIDER

It all comes down to tonight. Brazil face Scotland in their final group match at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, kicking off at 7 pm BRT, with Morocco playing Haiti at the same time and the final Group C order decided across the two games.

Brazil are well placed, top of the group on four points with a goal difference of plus three, ahead of Morocco on plus one. A win would take them to seven points and confirm them as group winners, and even a draw would very likely be enough to go through.

The big news is Neymar, who has returned to full training and is back in the squad after his calf injury, though he is expected to start on the bench rather than in the XI. Brazil are without Raphinha, ruled out with a thigh injury picked up against Haiti, with Vinícius Júnior and Matheus Cunha leading the attack.

History favours Brazil, who have never lost to Scotland at a World Cup. The Scots, back at the tournament after a long absence, need a result to keep alive their hopes of advancing as a best third-placed side, so they will not make it easy.

09

Business & Markets

WEEK IN FIGURES

The Bovespa is on a roll. It rose 0.52% on Tuesday to close at around 171,259 points, a second straight gain, holding firm even as a sharp sell-off in technology shares dragged Wall Street lower.

The session was shaped by the central bank’s latest meeting minutes, which struck a notably firm tone. The committee warned that inflation expectations had become more de-anchored and signalled that interest rates will need to stay high for longer than previously thought.

The Selic sits at 14.25% after last week’s cut, but the hawkish minutes cooled expectations of rapid further easing. With the bank’s next decision not due until late July, attention turns back to the global mood and the currency.

10

Plan Ahead

THE WEEK

THE DAYS AHEAD

Tonight — Brazil vs Scotland, Miami, 7 pm BRT; the group decider.

Thu June 25 — still cool and wet at 20°C; the knockout picture takes shape.

Fri June 26 — drier and milder at 23°C; the weekend brightens.

Sat June 27 — dry and mild near 23°C; the beach is back on.

Group C now: Brazil 4 pts, Morocco 4, Scotland 3, Haiti 0.

11

FAQ

QUICK ANSWERS

What time is Brazil vs Scotland, and what is at stake?

Brazil face Scotland tonight, Wednesday June 24, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, kicking off at 7 pm BRT. It is the final Group C match, played at the same time as Morocco against Haiti, with the group’s final order decided across both games.

Brazil top the group on four points with a goal difference of plus three. A win confirms them as group winners on seven points, and a draw would very likely be enough.

The match is on Globo, SporTV and Globoplay; on a wet night, a warm bar is the place to watch.

Is Neymar playing against Scotland?

Neymar is back in the squad after the calf injury that kept him out of Brazil’s first two matches, having returned to full training. Carlo Ancelotti has said he is counting on him for the Scotland game, which would be his first appearance of this World Cup.

He is expected to start on the bench rather than in the eleven, easing back after weeks out. Brazil are without Raphinha, ruled out with a thigh injury from the Haiti win, so Vinícius Júnior and Matheus Cunha are set to lead the attack tonight.

What is there to do in Rio on a rainy day?

Plenty, as Rio has strong indoor options. The CCBB in Centro is a grand cultural centre with several free exhibitions, and at the port the Museu do Amanhã and the MAR make an easy, fully indoor pair, all reachable by Metrô or the VLT.

A café or a long lunch in Botafogo or Centro is another good call, and tonight, of course, a warm bar for the football. With the rain easing from Friday, save the beach and the viewpoints for the drier, milder weekend to come.

What is the weather like this week?

Wednesday is cooler and wet at 21°C with around a 67% chance of rain, so it is a day for indoors and, conveniently, for watching the football from a bar. Thursday stays cool and unsettled near 20°C.

The good news is the weekend brightens nicely: Friday eases to a drier, milder 23°C, and Saturday looks dry and pleasant near 23°C too, with little rain about. So the grey midweek is short-lived, and the beach and the viewpoints will be back in fine form by the weekend.

Related: São Paulo Daily Brief for Wednesday · Rio de Janeiro Daily Brief for Tuesday