Brazil has officially secured a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a narrow yet decisive 1-0 win over Paraguay at the NeoQuimica Arena in São Paulo. The match, held on Tuesday, marked a successful home debut for head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who turned 66 the same day. Vinicius Junior delivered the winning goal, ensuring Brazil’s qualification with two games still left to play in the South American qualifiers.
The Real Madrid forward capitalized on a defensive lapse by Paraguay, finishing off a low cross from Matheus Cunha in the 28th minute. It was a special moment for both Brazil and Ancelotti, especially after the goalless draw against Ecuador drew criticism for the team’s conservative approach. In contrast, Tuesday’s match saw a more aggressive Brazil, with Raphinha returning from suspension to apply pressure on the right wing and Gabriel Martinelli shining in place of Gerson.
With this victory, Brazil climbs to second in the South American standings with 25 points, trailing Argentina by 10 but comfortably clear of the seventh-placed team by more than six points. The top six teams in the standings automatically qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup, while the seventh enters an intercontinental playoff.
In other matches, Uruguay earned a 2-0 home win over Venezuela, thanks to goals by Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta, moving them closer to direct qualification. Venezuela remains in contention for the intercontinental playoff spot. Defending champions Argentina, already qualified, were held to a 1-1 draw by Colombia. Luis Díaz put Colombia ahead before Julián Álvarez salvaged a point for Argentina. Enzo Fernández’s red card left the home crowd of over 80,000 at the Monumental de Núñez Stadium disappointed.
Meanwhile, Chile’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bolivia ended their hopes of reaching the 2026 tournament, marking a third consecutive World Cup miss. The result also brought an end to coach Ricardo Gareca’s tenure. Gareca, who previously led Peru to the 2018 World Cup, confirmed his departure following the game, expressing gratitude to the players and executives.
Veteran striker Alexis Sánchez voiced deep disappointment after Chile’s exit, declaring the end of the nation’s golden generation that once lifted two Copa America trophies in 2015 and 2016. Bolivia scored early through Miguel Terceros and sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal by Enzo Monteiro at the high-altitude El Alto Stadium.
As Brazil looks ahead to its next qualifying fixture against Chile, they will be without Vinicius Jr due to suspension. However, with World Cup qualification secured, focus now shifts toward preparation for the 2026 tournament hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
