Qualifications for the 2026 FIFA World Cup: South America
Introduction
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup, quadrennial international men's football championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It is scheduled to be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, making it the first World Cup to be held in three countries and the first to be co-hosted by three nations from different confederations. The tournament will feature 48 teams, up from 32 in the previous edition.
As with previous tournaments, the host nations qualify automatically, leaving 45 slots to be filled through qualifying competitions. The qualification process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin in June 2023 and is expected to conclude in November 2025. The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) will have six direct slots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with an additional team qualifying through an intercontinental play-off.
Qualification Format
The qualification process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in South America will be divided into two phases:
- Round 1: All ten CONMEBOL teams will be seeded into two groups of five teams each. Each team will play four matches, two at home and two away. The top three teams from each group will advance to the second round.
- Round 2: The six teams that advance from the first round will be placed into a single group and will play each other home and away. The top four teams in the group will qualify directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the fifth-placed team will advance to the intercontinental play-off.
Teams that have already qualified
As the host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States have already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Teams that are still in contention
The following teams are still in contention for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup through the CONMEBOL qualification process:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Conclusion
The qualification process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in South America will be competitive, with some of the world's top teams vying for a spot in the tournament. The teams that qualify will be well-prepared and will be looking to make a deep run in the competition.
