Brazil and Ecuador have secured their places at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, joining defending champions Argentina among the six South American teams earning automatic qualification. The two nations clinched their spots on Tuesday, with Brazil edging Paraguay 1-0 and Ecuador holding Peru to a goalless draw.
Vinicius Jr. was the hero in São Paulo, scoring the game’s only goal on the cusp of halftime to deliver a winning debut for Brazil’s new head coach, Carlo Ancelotti. The Real Madrid forward expressed his satisfaction post-match: “We needed to win at home for our fans too and qualify for the World Cup, which was our goal. Now Ancelotti will have more time to work, to see what he can improve.”
With the victory, Brazil extended their proud record of being the only nation to appear in every edition of the World Cup. The five-time champions will make their 23rd appearance when the tournament kicks off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year.
Meanwhile, Ecuador booked their second consecutive World Cup berth with a hard-fought draw in Lima. Despite going down to 10 men in the 70th minute after Alan Franco received a second yellow card, the visitors held off a desperate Peruvian side. The result left Peru on 12 points, effectively ending their qualification hopes as they sit six behind Venezuela with only two games left.
Uruguay also moved a step closer to qualification after a 2-0 win over Venezuela at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Rodrigo Aguirre opened the scoring in the 42nd minute with a well-placed header, while Giorgian De Arrascaeta sealed the result early in the second half with a thunderous shot into the top corner. The win snapped Uruguay’s four-match winless run in qualifiers and ensured Marcelo Bielsa’s side would, at minimum, earn an inter-confederation playoff spot. They now need just one point from their final two games—against Peru and Chile—to confirm automatic qualification.
Colombia also remain in the race, holding Argentina to a 1-1 draw thanks to an early strike by Luis Díaz, which was canceled out by Thiago Almada’s 81st-minute equalizer.
In contrast, Chile’s campaign ended in heartbreak with a 2-0 loss to Bolivia. The defeat left them bottom of the standings with only 10 points, dashing their hopes of a late surge. Following the match, head coach Ricardo Gareca resigned, acknowledging the team’s lack of results during his tenure.
With two matchdays remaining in September, the current automatic qualifiers are Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia. Venezuela, in seventh, is on course for a potential inter-confederation playoff berth with 18 points. The race for South America’s final World Cup spots promises to be dramatic until the very end.
