Brazil and Ecuador have booked their places at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing South America’s second and third automatic qualification spots on Tuesday. They join reigning world champions Argentina, who had already confirmed their ticket to the tournament in March.
A first-half goal from Vinicius Jr. was enough to give Brazil a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in Sao Paulo, marking a successful home debut for new head coach Carlo Ancelotti. The win, combined with Ecuador’s hard-fought 0-0 draw away to Peru, moved both Brazil and Ecuador to 25 points, guaranteeing they will finish in the top six.
“I’m very happy with today’s result. We needed to win at home for our fans too and qualify for the World Cup, which was our goal,” Vinicius Jr. said after the match. “Now (Ancelotti) will have more time to work, to see what he can improve. Today wasn’t one of our best games, but the important thing in qualifying is to win and prepare well for the World Cup.”
The five-time champions have maintained their distinguished record as the only nation to have participated in every edition of the World Cup and will make their 23rd appearance at the finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Ecuador secured their second consecutive World Cup appearance after a resilient defensive display in Peru, holding on for a crucial point despite playing the final 20 minutes with ten men after midfielder Alan Franco received a second yellow card.
Uruguay on the Brink of Qualification
Elsewhere, Uruguay took a significant step towards securing their own place at the finals with a 2-0 home victory over Venezuela. The win at the Estadio Centenario snapped a four-match winless streak for Marcelo Bielsa’s side. Rodrigo Aguirre opened the scoring with a header in the 42nd minute, and Giorgian De Arrascaeta sealed the win with a superb strike early in the second half. The result guarantees Uruguay at least an inter-confederation playoff spot, and they now require only one point from their final two matches to confirm direct qualification.
The remaining automatic qualification spots are currently held by Uruguay (24 points), Paraguay (24), and Colombia (22). Venezuela, in seventh place with 18 points, remain in contention for the playoff position.
In other results, Argentina required an 81st-minute equaliser from Thiago Almada to secure a 1-1 draw with Colombia after a goal from Luis Diaz. Meanwhile, Chile’s qualification hopes were extinguished following a 2-0 defeat in Bolivia, which prompted the resignation of their coach, Ricardo Gareca, after the match.
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