SÃO PAULO – South America’s road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is heating up, with Brazil and Ecuador officially booking their spots for the finals in North America. Uruguay, meanwhile, sit on the verge of qualification after another commanding performance.

Brazil, the five-time world champions, secured their place with a narrow 1-0 victory over Paraguay at home in São Paulo. The only goal of the match came just before halftime, courtesy of Vinícius Júnior, who latched onto a low cross from Matheus Cunha to slot the ball home.

The win was Carlo Ancelotti’s first as Brazil manager and came as a timely birthday present for the Italian coach, who turned 66 on the same day. "I was very pleased with the team's attitude and discipline. We managed the game well, especially in the first half," said Ancelotti after the match.

Despite a shaky start to qualifying, Brazil now sit comfortably in third place in the CONMEBOL standings with 25 points from 16 games, ensuring they’ll finish in the automatic qualifying spots.

Paraguay, who only needed a draw to qualify, were left disappointed. Still, with 24 points, they remain in strong contention and need just a single point from their remaining fixtures to confirm their first World Cup appearance since 2010.

Ecuador continued their impressive campaign by holding Peru to a goalless draw in Lima — a result that proved enough to confirm their passage to the finals. Despite not finding the net, Ecuador’s disciplined defensive performance earned them the vital point they needed.

This marks another milestone for La Tri, who continue to punch above their weight in South American football.

Over in Montevideo, Uruguay moved a step closer to qualification with a solid 2-0 win against Venezuela. Goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta gave Marcelo Bielsa’s side all three points, pushing them within touching distance of a World Cup berth. With two matches left, Uruguay require just one more point to secure qualification.

For Venezuela, the loss is a blow to their dreams of reaching a first-ever World Cup. They sit seventh with 18 points — a position that currently leads to an intercontinental playoff spot.

Elsewhere, Chile’s qualification hopes were officially dashed after a 2-0 loss to Bolivia. Once a continental powerhouse, Chile have now missed out on three straight World Cups, continuing a steep decline since their Copa America triumphs in 2015 and 2016.

Argentina, already assured of a spot in the finals, played out a 1-1 draw with Colombia in Buenos Aires. Luis Díaz gave the visitors a first-half lead with a brilliant strike, and things looked even better for Colombia when Argentina were reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernández received his marching orders.

However, the world champions showed their resilience, with Thiago Almada leveling the score in the 81st minute to frustrate the Colombian side.

With just a few games remaining in South America’s qualifying race, the top six will earn direct entry to the 2026 World Cup, while the seventh-place finisher will fight for a spot via the intercontinental playoff.

Stay with WafricNews for the latest on the road to North America 2026.

By WafricNews Sports Desk.