Brazil and Ecuador qualify for the 2026 World Cup

Brazil and Ecuador qualified for the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, securing the second and third of six automatic South American places after defending champions Argentina qualified last March. Brazil beat Paraguay 1-0 at home, and Ecuador drew 0-0 with Peru. Both teams now have 25 points, seven ahead of seventh-placed Venezuela, with two rounds remaining in the qualifiers.

Uruguay and Paraguay, both with 24 points, and Colombia, with 22 points, occupy the three remaining World Cup qualifying spots before the final two rounds in September.

Venezuela will secure a playoff spot against a team from another confederation if they finish seventh.

In São Paulo, Real Madrid striker Vinicius Junior scored in the dying moments of the first half to give new Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti a win in his first home match in charge.

Brazil extended its record as the only team to have participated in every World Cup, with the five-time champions set to participate in the 23rd edition in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Ecuador qualified for their second consecutive World Cup after avoiding defeat in Peru. The draw ended Peru's hopes of qualifying, as they moved to 12 points, six ahead of Venezuela. Uruguay moved closer to securing a World Cup berth with a 2-0 home win over Venezuela at the Centenario Stadium, ending a four-match winless streak in South American qualifying. Uruguay needs just one point from their final two matches against Peru and Chile to qualify. Argentina needed an 81st-minute goal from Thiago Almada to hold Colombia to a 1-1 draw, after Luis Diaz had given the lead, and avoid a second consecutive defeat to Nestor Lourenço's team.

Chile's World Cup hopes were ended with a 2-0 defeat to Bolivia.