Six South American Teams Secure Spots in the World Cup as Playoff Battle Intensifies

Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador have qualified for the 2026 World Cup. According to Olé, results from Matchday 17 of the South American Qualifiers confirmed that Paraguay, Uruguay, and Colombia also secured their spots, leaving only the playoff place contested by Venezuela and Bolivia. The playoff will feature the seventh-place team against an Asian opponent.

The results were significant: Argentina defeated Venezuela 3-0 in Buenos Aires, marking Lionel Messi‘s last World Cup qualifying match at home. Paraguay and Ecuador ended in a 0-0 draw, Uruguay triumphed over Peru 3-0, Colombia won against Bolivia 3-0, and Brazil beat Chile 3-0. These outcomes guaranteed six direct qualifications while keeping the race open for the final spot.

As reported by La Nación, Venezuela has 18 points and holds an edge as it faces Colombia in the final round. Bolivia is just one point behind and needs to win against Brazil in La Paz while relying on a Venezuela loss. In case of a tie, Venezuela would advance based on goal difference under Fernando Batista’s management.

Chile and Peru have been officially eliminated and will miss another World Cup. Matchday 18 on Tuesday will determine the playoff contender: Ecuador vs. Argentina, Peru vs. Paraguay, Venezuela vs. Colombia, Bolivia vs. Brazil, and Chile vs. Uruguay. The seventh-place team will enter the playoff in March, which is their last chance to qualify for North America 2026.