The qualifying series for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has started. In FIFA Zone CONMEBOL, the first standings are visible after the first two rounds. World champion Argentina is in the lead. With Lionel Messi in their midst, the Argentinians triumphed against Ecuador (1-0, September 7, 2023), as well as – without Messi – against Bolivia (0-3, September 12, 2023). Brazil also has the full number of points. After this, there are still sixteen rounds to go in the World Cup football qualification in South America. The countries in the other FIFA Zones will start their qualifying series for the final round of the FIFA World Cup in North America later.
In South America there is traditionally one qualifying group. All ten FIFA countries in this FIFA continent play against each other; both home and away. That makes a total of eighteen CONMEBOL qualifying matchdays.
CONMEBOL Qualification: battle for six 2026 World Cup tickets
The final round of play for the countries Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela is scheduled for September 2025. In addition to six countries that qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup from South America, for the number seven in the final standings there is a rematch. That nation will join the international play-offs in November 2025.
Messi starts World Cup qualifiers as match winner
World champion Argentina’s kick-off in the battle for qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup went fairly smoothly. Not one goal conceded, four goals scored: Lionel Messi himself against Ecuador, and Enzo Fernandez, Nicolas Tagliafico and Nicolas Gonzalez against Bolivia. Messi was missing in the last match: the Inter Miami star was rested due to a packed schedule. The next hurdle for Argentina is Peru, on October 18.
In addition to Argentina, Brazil also started well
In the opening round of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, Brazil showed that it is much stronger than Bolivia: 5-1. Brazil also took the three points on Matchday 2, in Peru: 0-1. Together with Argentina, this football superpower is, for now, leaving the rest of the CONMEBOL countries behind.
The best of the rest is Colombia, which narrowly defeated Venezuela at home and kept the score at 0-0 in their away match against Chile. Uruguay, Venezuela and Ecuador also won their first match, at one of both first matchdays. Ecuador, however, still has to make do with 0 points in the CONMEBOL qualifying standings. This is due to a 3 point penalty for a previous administrative error. Paraguay and Peru are currently on one point, while Chile and Bolivia are still waiting for their first successful result.
South America: six nations qualify directly for World Cup 2026
In the qualifying zone of the South American Football Confederation, ten countries compete for six to seven tickets for the World Cup in North America, all in the same group. The numbers one through six qualify directly. The CONMEBOL country that finishes as number seven in the regular qualifying series will play the intercontinental play-offs in November 2025. These inter-confederation play-offs will be formed by six nations. The four (of the six) qualified countries that are, at that moment, lowest in the FIFA Ranking are linked by a draw. The two winners then play against the two countries that (of those six) are highest in the FIFA Ranking. Those two winners will eventually get the last World Cup 2026 tickets.
World Cup football qualifiers updates
While the FIFA Zone CONMEBOL has started World Cup qualifying first, the countries in the other FIFA Zones will have to wait a little longer. See the updates and state of affairs:
