The South American section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification will act as qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be held in Canada, the United States, and Mexico 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 are available for CONMEBOL teams.[1][2]
On 22 August 2022, CONMEBOL sent a request to FIFA asking to keep the current qualification format that has 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 remains the same as in previous editions (despite the increase of slots available to CONMEBOL teams), wherein each team plays 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 are being held in a total of 18 matchdays on dates that fall within the FIFA International Match Calendar.[17] The match schedule is the same that was used in the previous edition of the competition. Six matchdays will be played in 2023, six in 2024 and also six in 2025.[15]
Updated to match(es) played on 10 June 2025. Source: FIFA Rules for classification: Tiebreakers (E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (X) Assured of at least inter-confederation play-offs; (Y) Cannot qualify directly, may only advance to inter-confederation play-offs Notes:
↑ Ecuador were penalized 3 points for the use of false birth documents for Byron Castillo in the previous World Cup qualification cycle.[41]
The seventh-placed team will join one team each from AFC, CAF, and OFC and two from CONCACAF in the inter-confederation play-offs. The teams will be ranked according to the FIFA Men's World Ranking, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches. The winners will meet the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination matches, with the winners of these matches qualifying for the World Cup in United States, Canada, and Mexico.[55]
Qualified teams
Qualified for the World Cup
Can qualify for the World Cup
Failed to qualify
Not a CONMEBOL member
The following teams from CONMEBOL qualified for the final tournament.
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 have been or will be served during qualification:
vs Bolivia (5 September 2024) vs Paraguay (15 October 2024)
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 Brazil v Ecuador match, originally scheduled at 21:45 local time,[25] was rescheduled to 22:00 local time.[44][28]
↑ 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 Chile v Bolivia match, originally scheduled at 21:00 local time,[25] was rescheduled to 18:00 local time.[47][27]
↑ The Paraguay v Brazil match, originally scheduled at 20:00 local time,[25] was rescheduled to 20:30 local time.[48][27]
↑ 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]
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Luis Díaz (7 goals)
