The qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in South America has concluded. Before the final round, the main intrigue was the question of which team would qualify for the intercontinental playoffs.
Bolivia won this spot sensationally. With a penalty kick from Migelito, the Bolivians secured a 1-0 victory over Brazil and a playoff opportunity with 7th place.
Argentina played without Lionel Messi and suffered a narrow defeat against Ecuador (0:1). Valencia scored from a penalty and secured a valuable victory for their team.
The Venezuelan-Colombian clash showcased a real rain of goals. Sporting forward Luis Suarez scored a brilliant poker, contributing to his team's 6-3 victory.
The match between Chile and Uruguay ended in a goalless draw. Peru suffered a 0-1 defeat at home to Paraguay.
Thus, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay qualified directly from CONMEBOL for the World Cup. Bolivia, however, retained their chance to qualify for the World Cup through the playoffs.
2026 World Cup Qualifiers. CONMEBOL. Round 18. September 9
- Еcuador - Argentina 1:0 (Valencia, 45+13, pen.)
- Bolivia - Brazil 1:0 (Migelito, 45+4, pen.)
- Venezuela - Colombia 3:6 (Segovia, Martinez, Rondon - Mina, Suarez 4 goals, Cordoba)
- Chile - Uruguay 0:0
- Peru - Paraguay 0:1 (Galarza, 78)
Following these results, the qualifying process in South America ended with an unexpected outcome for fans. Bolivia's victory over Brazil will undoubtedly go down in football history as the biggest surprise of the round.
The final table looks like this:
