2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)
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The South American section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification acted as qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States for national teams who are members of CONMEBOL. A total of 6 direct slots in the final tournament and 1 inter-confederation play-off slot were available for CONMEBOL teams.[1][2]
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 7 September 2023 – 9 September 2025 |
| Teams | 10 (from 1 confederation) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 90 |
| Goals scored | 183 (2.03 per match) |
| Attendance | 3,437,526 (38,195 per match) |
| Top scorer | |
← 2022 2030 → | |
CONMEBOL was the first confederation to begin its qualification process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Paraguay–Peru being the first match of the global qualification process.[3][4]
Format
On 22 August 2022, CONMEBOL sent a request to FIFA asking to keep the current qualification format that had been used since the 1998 World Cup qualification in South America.[5][6][7] This was confirmed, with the first games of the qualifiers tentatively to be played in March or June 2023.[8][9][10]
On 27 February 2023, CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez announced that the qualifiers would start in September 2023,[11][12] which was ratified by the CONMEBOL Council in the run-up to the 73rd FIFA Congress held on 16 March in Kigali, Rwanda.[13][14]
The qualification structure remained the same as in previous editions (despite the increase of slots available to CONMEBOL teams), wherein each team played each other team twice in a home-and-away round-robin format.[15]
Prior to the commencement of the qualification competition, Ecuador were deducted 3 points for the use of a document containing false information for Byron Castillo in the previous World Cup qualification cycle.[16]
Schedule
The qualifying matches were held on a total of 18 matchdays on dates that fall within the FIFA International Match Calendar.[17] The match schedule was same that was used in the previous edition of the competition. Six matchdays were played in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025.[15]
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Entrants
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 31 | 10 | +21 | 38 | 2026 FIFA World Cup | — | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 6–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 2 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 29[a] | 1–0 | — | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |||
| 3 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 28 | 18 | +10 | 28 | 2–1 | 0–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | |||
| 4 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 12 | +10 | 28 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | — | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | |||
| 5 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 28 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | |||
| 6 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 28 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | |||
| 7 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 17 | 35 | −18 | 20 | Inter-confederation play-offs | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 8 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 28 | −10 | 18 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–6 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–0 | 3–0 | |||
| 9 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 21 | −15 | 12 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | |||
| 10 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 27 | −18 | 11 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | — |
- Ecuador were penalized 3 points for the use of false birth documents for Byron Castillo in the previous World Cup qualification cycle.[41]
Matches
Matchday 1
| Uruguay | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
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Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Vidal |
Matchday 2
| Bolivia | 0–3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
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| Ecuador | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Torres |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Canobbio |
| Venezuela | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rondón |
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Matchday 3
| Colombia | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
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| Brazil | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gabriel |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Bello |
Matchday 4
| Uruguay | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
| Peru | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Messi |
Matchday 5
| Colombia | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Díaz |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Martinelli |
Matchday 6
| Paraguay | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Borré |
| Peru | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Yotún |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Savarino |
Matchday 7
| Argentina | 3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Peru | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Callens |
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Díaz |
Matchday 8
Matchday 9
| Venezuela | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rondón |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Otamendi |
| Chile | 1–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vargas |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
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Matchday 10
| Colombia | 4–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Paraguay | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sanabria |
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Aramburu |
| Argentina | 6–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Brazil | 4–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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Matchday 11
| Venezuela | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Segovia |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Raphinha |
Matchday 12
| Chile | 4–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
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| Brazil | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gerson |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Valverde |
Matchday 13
| Peru | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Terceros |
| Ecuador | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Valencia |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Cádiz |
Matchday 14
| Venezuela | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rondón |
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| Argentina | 4–1 | |
|---|---|---|
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Cunha |
Matchday 15
Matchday 16
| Argentina | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Almada |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Díaz |
Matchday 17
| Uruguay | 3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Colombia | 3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Argentina | 3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Brazil | 3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
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Matchday 18
| Ecuador | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Valencia |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
| Venezuela | 3–6 | |
|---|---|---|
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Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
| Bolivia | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Terceros |
Report (FIFA) Report (CONMEBOL) |
Inter-confederation play-offs
The seventh-place team, Bolivia, joined DR Congo (from CAF), Iraq (from AFC), Jamaica and Suriname (both from CONCACAF), and New Caledonia (from OFC) in the inter-confederation play-offs.
The teams were ranked according to the November 2025 FIFA Men's World Ranking, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches. The winners met the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination matches, with the winners of these matches qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[55]
| Semi-final | Final | |||||
| 31 March 2026 – Guadalupe | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 26 March 2026 – Guadalupe | ||||||
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 1 | ||||||
Qualified teams

The following teams from CONMEBOL qualified for the final tournament.
| Team | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearances in FIFA World Cup[A] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winners | 25 March 2025 | 18 (1930, 1934, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022) | |
| Runners-up | 10 June 2025 | 4 (2002, 2006, 2014, 2022) | |
| Third place | 4 September 2025 | 6 (1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014, 2018) | |
| Fourth place | 14 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986, 1990, 2002, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022) | ||
| Fifth place | 10 June 2025 | 22 (1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022) | |
| Sixth place | 4 September 2025 | 8 (1930, 1950, 1958, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010) | |
- Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.
Goalscorers
There were 183 goals scored in 90 matches, for an average of 2.03 goals per match.
8 goals
7 goals
6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
Enzo Fernández
Nicolás González
Alexis Mac Allister
Carmelo Algarañaz
Enzo Monteiro
Ramiro Vaca
Luiz Henrique
Neymar
Vinícius Júnior
Lucas Cepeda
Jhon Córdoba
Jhon Durán
Juan Fernando Quintero
Rafael Santos Borré
Gonzalo Plata
Félix Torres
Omar Alderete
Matías Galarza
Giorgian de Arrascaeta
Federico Valverde
Jefferson Savarino
Telasco Segovia
1 goal
Paulo Dybala
Giuliano Simeone
Nicolás Tagliafico
Víctor Ábrego
Rodrigo Ramallo
Ervin Vaca
Henry Vaca
Matheus Cunha
Estêvão
Gerson
Bruno Guimarães
Igor Jesus
Gabriel Magalhães
Marquinhos
Gabriel Martinelli
Lucas Paquetá
Andreas Pereira
Marcelino Núñez
Diego Valdés
Arturo Vidal
Andrés Gómez
Yerry Mina
Yerson Mosquera
Davinson Sánchez
Luis Sinisterra
Mateus Uribe
Ángel Mena
Alan Minda
Kendry Páez
Kevin Rodríguez
Miguel Almirón
Júnior Alonso
Diego Gómez
Miguel Araujo
Alexander Callens
Edison Flores
Paolo Guerrero
Andy Polo
Yoshimar Yotún
Ronald Araújo
Agustín Canobbio
Mathías Olivera
Manuel Ugarte
Federico Viñas
Jon Aramburu
Eduard Bello
Jhonder Cádiz
Darwin Machís
Salomón Rondón
Josef Martínez
Yeferson Soteldo
1 own goal
Gabriel Villamíl (against Uruguay)
Héctor Cuéllar (against Venezuela)
Davinson Sánchez (against Uruguay)
Tomás Rincón (against Chile)
Discipline
A player was automatically suspended for the next match for the following infractions:[56]
- Receiving a red card (red card suspensions may be extended for serious infractions)
- Receiving two yellow cards in two different matches (yellow card suspensions are carried forward to further qualification rounds, but not the finals or any other future international matches)
The following suspensions were served during qualification:
| Team | Player | Infraction(s) | Suspended for match(es) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enzo Fernández | vs Chile (5 June 2025) | ||
| vs Venezuela (4 September 2025) vs Ecuador (9 September 2025) | |||
| Nicolás González | vs Brazil (25 March 2025) vs Chile (5 June 2025) | ||
| Emiliano Martínez | Post-match misconduct vs Chile (5 September 2024) Post-match misconduct vs Colombia (10 September 2024) | vs Venezuela (10 October 2024) vs Bolivia (15 October 2024) | |
| Nicolás Otamendi | vs Chile (5 June 2025) | ||
| Leandro Paredes | vs Chile (5 June 2025) | ||
| Cristian Romero | vs Venezuela (10 October 2024) | ||
| Nicolás Tagliafico | vs Colombia (10 June 2025) | ||
| Carmelo Algarañaz | vs Ecuador (14 November 2024) | ||
| Lucas Chávez | vs Colombia (4 September 2025) vs Brazil (9 September 2025) | ||
| Héctor Cuéllar | vs Chile (10 September 2024) | ||
| vs Argentina (15 October 2024) | |||
| Roberto Fernández | vs Ecuador (12 October 2023) vs Paraguay (17 October 2023) | ||
| Luis Haquín | vs Chile (10 June 2025) | ||
| José Sagredo | vs Paraguay (19 November 2024) | ||
| Adalid Terrazas | vs Peru (20 March 2025) | ||
| Ramiro Vaca | vs Chile (10 September 2024) | ||
| Gabriel Villamil | vs Peru (16 November 2023) | ||
| André | vs Ecuador (5 June 2025) | ||
| Bruno Guimarães | vs Argentina (25 March 2025) | ||
| Gabriel Jesus | vs Ecuador (6 September 2024) | ||
| Gabriel Magalhães | vs Argentina (25 March 2025) | ||
| Joelinton | vs Ecuador (6 September 2024) vs Paraguay (10 September 2024) | ||
| Lucas Paquetá | vs Peru (15 October 2024) | ||
| Raphinha | vs Ecuador (6 September 2024) | ||
| vs Ecuador (5 June 2025) | |||
| Vanderson | vs Uruguay (19 November 2024) | ||
| Vinícius Júnior | vs Chile (4 September 2025) | ||
| Matías Catalán | vs Brazil (10 October 2024) | ||
| Víctor Dávila | vs Brazil (4 September 2025) | ||
| Paulo Díaz | vs Brazil (10 October 2024) | ||
| Felipe Loyola | vs Venezuela (19 November 2024) | ||
| Guillermo Maripán | vs Bolivia (10 June 2025) | ||
| Gary Medel | vs Ecuador (21 November 2023) | ||
| Felipe Mendez | vs Ecuador (21 November 2023) vs Argentina (5 September 2024) | ||
| Marcelino Núñez | vs Paraguay (16 November 2023) | ||
| Erick Pulgar | vs Venezuela (17 October 2023) | ||
| vs Brazil (10 October 2024) | |||
| Francisco Sierralta | vs Brazil (4 September 2025) vs Uruguay (9 September 2025) | ||
| Gabriel Suazo | vs Brazil (10 October 2024) | ||
| Arturo Vidal | vs Bolivia (10 June 2025) | ||
| Jhon Arias | vs Brazil (16 November 2023) | ||
| Kevin Castaño | vs Bolivia (4 September 2025) | ||
| Jhon Córdoba | vs Uruguay (15 November 2024) | ||
| Luis Díaz | vs Peru (6 June 2025) | ||
| Jhon Durán | vs Bolivia (10 October 2024) | ||
| vs Brazil (20 March 2025) | |||
| Yerry Mina | vs Argentina (10 September 2024) | ||
| Daniel Muñoz | vs Bolivia (4 September 2025) | ||
| Davinson Sánchez | vs Paraguay (21 November 2023) | ||
| Camilo Vargas | vs Ecuador (17 October 2023) | ||
| Moisés Caicedo | vs Bolivia (14 November 2024) | ||
| José Cifuentes | vs Chile (21 November 2023) | ||
| Alan Franco | vs Paraguay (4 September 2025) | ||
| Carlos Gruezo | vs Venezuela (21 March 2025) | ||
| Piero Hincapié | vs Chile (21 November 2023) | ||
| vs Venezuela (21 March 2025) | |||
| Ángelo Preciado | vs Brazil (6 September 2024) | ||
| Omar Alderete | vs Bolivia (19 November 2024) | ||
| Júnior Alonso | vs Ecuador (10 October 2024) | ||
| Adam Bareiro | vs Chile (16 November 2023) | ||
| Hernesto Caballero | vs Uruguay (6 September 2024) | ||
| Juan Cáceres | vs Argentina (14 November 2024) | ||
| Andrés Cubas | vs Bolivia (19 November 2024) | ||
| Matías Galarza | vs Brazil (10 June 2025) | ||
| Diego Gómez | vs Ecuador (10 October 2024) | ||
| vs Chile (20 March 2025) | |||
| Gustavo Gómez | vs Brazil (10 September 2024) | ||
| Robert Rojas | vs Colombia (21 November 2023) vs Uruguay (6 September 2024) | ||
| Luis Advíncula | vs Brazil (12 September 2023) | ||
| vs Venezuela (21 November 2023) | |||
| Miguel Araujo | vs Bolivia (20 March 2025) | ||
| Wilder Cartagena | vs Uruguay (11 October 2024) | ||
| vs Argentina (19 November 2024) | |||
| Pedro Gallese | vs Chile (15 November 2024) | ||
| Bryan Reyna | vs Chile (15 November 2024) | ||
| Renato Tapia | vs Uruguay (4 September 2025) | ||
| Yoshimar Yotún | vs Colombia (6 September 2024) | ||
| Marcos López | vs Argentina (17 October 2023) | ||
| vs Uruguay (11 October 2024) | |||
| Damaging VAR equipment vs Brazil (15 October 2024) | vs Chile (15 November 2024) | ||
| Carlos Zambrano | Offensive behavior vs Brazil (15 October 2024) | vs Chile (15 November 2024) | |
| vs Bolivia (20 March 2025) | |||
| Ronald Araújo | vs Peru (4 September 2025) | ||
| Rodrigo Bentancur | vs Paraguay (5 June 2025) | ||
| Nahitan Nández | vs Venezuela (10 September 2024) | ||
| vs Brazil (19 November 2024) | |||
| vs Peru (4 September 2025) | |||
| Mathías Olivera | vs Bolivia (21 November 2023) | ||
| Manuel Ugarte | vs Bolivia (21 November 2023) | ||
| vs Argentina (21 March 2025) | |||
| Federico Valverde | vs Venezuela (10 September 2024) | ||
| Matías Viña | vs Colombia (12 October 2023) | ||
| Wilker Ángel | vs Ecuador (21 March 2025) | ||
| Jon Aramburu | vs Ecuador (21 March 2025) | ||
| Cristian Cásseres | vs Argentina (10 October 2024) | ||
| vs Chile (19 November 2024) | |||
| Alexander González | vs Chile (19 November 2024) | ||
| Yangel Herrera | vs Bolivia (6 June 2025) | ||
| José Martínez | vs Peru (21 November 2023) | ||
| vs Paraguay (15 October 2024) | |||
| vs Argentina (4 September 2025) | |||
| Miguel Navarro | vs Argentina (10 October 2024) | ||
| Telasco Segovia | vs Argentina (4 September 2025) | ||
| Yeferson Soteldo | vs Brazil (14 November 2024) |
Notes
- The Bolivia v Ecuador match, originally scheduled at 16:00 local time,[21] was rescheduled to 19:00 local time by decision of the Bolivian Football Federation.[42][43]
- The Paraguay v Bolivia match, originally scheduled at Estadio Antonio Aranda, Ciudad del Este,[21] was rescheduled at Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción by decision of the Paraguayan Football Association.[42][43]
- The Peru v Colombia match, originally scheduled to be played at Estadio Monumental, Lima,[25] was relocated to Estadio Nacional, Lima due to the possibility that the pitch at the Estadio Monumental would not be fit for the date of the match.[45][46]
- The Peru v Chile match, originally scheduled to be played at Estadio Nacional, Lima,[25] was relocated to Estadio Monumental, Lima due to security reasons concerning the APEC Peru 2024 meeting.[49][50]
- The Argentina v Peru match, originally scheduled to be played at Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires,[32] was relocated to La Bombonera, Buenos Aires due to the Estadio Monumental, which had previously been chosen to host the 2024 Copa Libertadores final, had to be reserved by CONMEBOL for preparations 15 days before the match.[51][52]