Brazil Clinches 2026 World Cup Qualification

Brazil has successfully secured its place in the 2026 World Cup after a 1-0 victory over Paraguay at Corinthians Arena on Tuesday in South American qualifying.

This win marked Carlo Ancelotti’s inaugural triumph as the head coach for Brazil. The team has risen to third place in the standings with a total of 25 points, with two matches remaining.

Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia hold the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions, respectively, securing their automatic qualification slots ahead of the final two games in September.

Venezuela currently sits in seventh place with 18 points and could secure a playoff berth against a team from another confederation if they maintain this position.

Vinicius Jr., the Real Madrid forward, scored just before halftime, securing the crucial 1-0 lead that ultimately won the match for his team.

Vinicius commented on the victory, highlighting the team’s need to deliver a win for their supporters and ensure their qualification for the World Cup.

Vinicius’s Statement

“I’m very pleased with today’s outcome. It was vital for us to win at home for our fans and secure our place in the World Cup, which was our primary objective,” Vinicius stated.

“Now, (Ancelotti) will have more time to implement his strategies and identify areas for improvement. While this may not have been our best performance, the key in qualifying is to achieve victories and prepare effectively for the World Cup,” he further added.

Brazil has now extended its record as the only nation to participate in every World Cup tournament, making their 23rd appearance at the upcoming event in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Other Qualifying Matches

Ecuador played to a 0-0 draw with Peru, also securing their ticket to next summer’s World Cup, marking their second consecutive appearance in the tournament.

The draw dashed Peru’s qualification hopes, as they now have 12 points, trailing Venezuela by six points.

Uruguay moved closer to qualification with a 2-0 home victory against Venezuela at Estadio Centenario, ending a four-match winless streak in South American qualifiers.

Rodrigo Aguirre opened the scoring for Uruguay in the 42nd minute, followed by Giorgian De Arrascaeta doubling the lead early in the second half, securing a win that guarantees Marcelo Bielsa’s team at least a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs.

Uruguay needs only a single point from their final two matches against Peru and Chile to guarantee their place in the finals.

Argentina, the reigning champions, drew 1-1 with Colombia, with Thiago Almada scoring an 81st-minute equalizer to cancel out Luis Diaz’s earlier goal, preventing a second consecutive loss to Nestor Lorenzo’s team.

Chile’s aspirations to reach the finals were crushed after a 2-0 defeat to Bolivia. Following the match, Chile’s coach, Ricardo Gareca, stepped down from his position.