Brazil secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday with a narrow 1-0 win over Paraguay in São Paulo — the first victory under new head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
The five-time world champions booked their spot in the tournament, which will be hosted across Canada, the United States, and Mexico, thanks to a first-half goal from Vinícius Júnior.
The Real Madrid forward tapped in from close range in the 44th minute after receiving a low cross from Manchester United’s new signing, Matheus Cunha.
It was a fitting birthday gift for Ancelotti, who turned 66 on Tuesday and had watched his side play out a goalless draw with Ecuador in his debut match last week. The former Real Madrid manager praised his team’s “commitment” and “attitude” after the win.
“It was a good match with a very good first half,” said Ancelotti. “We suffered a little in the second half because Paraguay are solid opponents, and we slowed down a bit.”
Earlier in the day, Uruguay’s 2-0 win over Venezuela in Montevideo had opened up the possibility for both Brazil and Paraguay to qualify. Paraguay needed just a point, while Brazil required a win to seal their spot.
In the end, it was Brazil who capitalised, with Vinícius delivering the decisive goal shortly before halftime. Brazil had struggled to create clear chances in the first half, with Cunha missing a key opportunity in the 35th minute when he headed wide from close range. However, he redeemed himself with the assist that led to the goal.
The win moved Brazil into third place in the CONMEBOL standings with 25 points from 16 games, ensuring a top-six finish and automatic qualification.
Looking ahead, Ancelotti revealed he is monitoring a pool of around 70 players, including Neymar, who missed this round due to injury.
“I really liked the players who were part of this squad,” Ancelotti said. “Their commitment, attitude, and the atmosphere were excellent.”
Paraguay, meanwhile, remain on 24 points and need just one more to qualify for their first World Cup since 2010.
Ecuador Also Qualify
Ecuador became the latest South American team to qualify after earning a 0-0 draw with Peru in Lima. The result was enough to secure their spot in the expanded 2026 tournament.
Elsewhere, Uruguay took another step toward qualification with a 2-0 win over Venezuela, courtesy of goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta. The victory leaves Marcelo Bielsa’s side needing just one point from their final two matches to qualify.
Venezuela, still chasing their first-ever World Cup appearance, are seventh with 18 points from 16 games and now face an uphill battle.
Argentina, already qualified, came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Colombia in Buenos Aires. Luis Díaz gave Colombia the lead with a stunning goal in the 24th minute. Argentina were reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernández was sent off in the second half, but Thiago Almada salvaged a point with a late equaliser in the 81st minute.
In another match, Bolivia ended Chile’s World Cup hopes with a 2-0 win. The result marks the third consecutive time that Chile have failed to qualify for the tournament. Once dominant in South America, “La Roja” continues its decline after back-to-back Copa América titles in 2015 and 2016.
The top six teams in South America earn automatic qualification for the World Cup, while the seventh-placed team heads to an intercontinental playoff.
