Brazil sealed their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay on Tuesday at the Neo Química Arena in São Paulo. The win marked Carlo Ancelotti’s first triumph as head coach of the five-time world champions.
The decisive moment came just before halftime when Vinicius Jr. tapped in from close range, following a precise low cross from Manchester United’s recent signing, Matheus Cunha. The Real Madrid star’s goal proved enough to separate the teams in a tightly contested South American qualifier.
Combined with Venezuela’s earlier loss to Uruguay, Brazil’s victory guaranteed their automatic qualification for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The win lifted Brazil to third place in the CONMEBOL standings with 25 points from 16 matches, ensuring a top-six finish and direct passage to the World Cup.
Ancelotti, who celebrated his 66th birthday on the day, praised his squad’s determination and focus throughout the match.
“It was a good match with a very strong first half,” said the Italian coach, who took charge earlier this year. “Paraguay are tough opponents, and we faced some challenges after halftime, but the team showed great resilience.”
Brazil’s chances looked uncertain earlier when Cunha missed a close-range header in the 35th minute, but he redeemed himself by assisting the winning goal moments later.
Paraguay, meanwhile, remain on the cusp of qualification, sitting fourth with 24 points. They need just one point from their remaining fixtures to reach their first World Cup since 2010.
Elsewhere, Ecuador became the second team to book their ticket for the World Cup after securing a goalless draw against Peru in Lima. The point was enough to mathematically confirm their qualification.
Uruguay strengthened their bid with a 2-0 home victory over Venezuela, thanks to goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta. The win puts Uruguay just one point shy of a qualifying spot.
Venezuela, aiming for their first-ever World Cup appearance, currently sit seventh with 18 points, occupying the intercontinental playoff place.
In Buenos Aires, already-qualified Argentina drew 1-1 with Colombia. Luis Diaz put Colombia ahead with a powerful strike in the 24th minute, and Argentina was reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez’s sending-off. Despite the setback, Thiago Almada equalized in the 81st minute.
Chile’s World Cup hopes ended with a 2-0 defeat to Bolivia, eliminating “La Roja” for the third consecutive tournament.
With just two qualifying rounds remaining, the top six teams in South America will secure direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup, while the seventh-placed team will enter an intercontinental playoff.
