While Argentina has already secured its place in the 2026 World Cup, the CONMEBOL qualifying race behind them remains incredibly tight. It`s been a challenging campaign so far, with only three points separating second-placed Ecuador from Colombia, who are currently in sixth.
South American qualifiers are known for their intensity, but this cycle feels particularly open compared to previous years. This is partly due to traditional powerhouses Brazil and Uruguay experiencing some difficulties establishing dominance behind Argentina.
The arrival of Carlo Ancelotti as the new head coach of the Brazilian national team could potentially change things significantly. He faces a substantial task in finding the right balance for the squad, which was evident in their opening 0-0 draw against Ecuador. However, maximizing the potential of key players like Raphinha and Vinicius Jr. would be a major step towards improving Brazil`s performance.
Venezuela is also striving for its first-ever World Cup appearance. They currently sit seventh in the standings, which would place them in an intercontinental playoff spot for a chance at qualification. However, they hold just a one-point advantage over Bolivia. Bolivia`s last World Cup participation was in 1994, which also took place in the United States.
Here is the schedule for the upcoming qualifying matches:
Schedule
Thursday, June 5
- Ecuador 0, Brazil 0
- Paraguay 2, Uruguay 0
- Chile 0, Argentina 1
Friday, June 6
- Colombia vs. Peru, 4:30 p.m. ET
- Venezuela vs. Bolivia, 6 p.m. ET
Tuesday, June 10
- Bolivia vs. Chile, 4 p.m. ET
- Uruguay vs. Venezuela, 7 p.m. ET
- Argentina vs. Colombia, 8 p.m. ET
- Brazil vs. Paraguay, 8:45 p.m. ET
- Peru vs. Ecuador, 9:30 p.m. ET
