Brazil and Ecuador have secured their spots in the 2026 World Cup following successful qualifying matches. Brazil's victory over Paraguay marked a significant moment for head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who celebrated his home debut with a 1-0 win at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo.

Brazil's Victory and Ancelotti's Debut

The match saw Vinicius Júnior score the decisive goal, showcasing the chemistry he shares with former Real Madrid teammate Martinelli. This win was crucial for Brazil, who now stands with 25 points in the South American qualifying standings. Ecuador also qualified, finishing second with the same points but ahead on victories, after managing a 0-0 draw against Peru.

Standings and Upcoming Matches

Defending champions Argentina have already qualified and are set to finish at the top of the qualifying table, having drawn 1-1 with Colombia. Both Brazil and Ecuador are comfortably ahead of the seventh-place team, with a 10-point gap from Argentina and more than six points clear of the team in seventh. The top six teams from South America earn direct entry to the World Cup.

In other matches, Uruguay edged closer to qualification with a 2-0 win over Venezuela, while Chile's defeat to Bolivia means they will miss a third consecutive World Cup, leading to the dismissal of head coach Ricardo Gareca. Vinicius Júnior expressed the importance of the win, stating, “We needed to win here for our people. Now we have more time to work, see what we can improve.” However, he will miss the next qualifying match against Chile due to suspension.