LA PAZ, Bolivia (BN24) — Bolivia delivered one of the most stunning upsets in South American World Cup qualifying history Tuesday night, defeating five-time world champion Brazil 1-0 to clinch an intercontinental playoff berth for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Ecuador shocked a Messi-less Argentina with their own 1-0 victory in the final round of regional qualifying.
Miguel Terceros converted a crucial penalty during first-half stoppage time to secure Bolivia’s historic victory over Brazil in La Paz, a result that dropped Carlo Ancelotti’s squad to fifth place in the standings and marked one of the biggest surprises of the entire South American qualifying campaign.
The triumph guarantees Bolivia a place in the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March in Monterrey and Guadalajara, Mexico, where they will compete alongside two teams from CONCACAF and one each from the African, Asian and Oceania confederations for two remaining spots at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Bolivia’s playoff qualification represents a remarkable achievement for a nation that has struggled historically in World Cup qualifying, having last appeared in the tournament in 1994. The victory over Brazil, achieved at the high altitude of La Paz where visiting teams traditionally struggle, provides Bolivia with genuine hope of reaching their first World Cup in over three decades.
In Guayaquil, Ecuador delivered their own shocking result by defeating reigning world champion Argentina despite both teams having already secured direct qualification for the 2026 tournament. The match carried significant intensity despite its lack of qualifying implications, with both sides fielding strong lineups.
Argentina’s hopes suffered an early blow when defender Nicolas Otamendi received a red card in the 31st minute, reducing Lionel Scaloni’s team to ten men for the majority of the contest. Ecuador capitalized on their numerical advantage when veteran striker Enner Valencia successfully converted a penalty during first-half stoppage time.
The dynamics shifted again in the 50th minute when Ecuador’s Moises Caicedo was also dismissed, evening the playing field at ten men per side. However, Ecuador’s defense held firm throughout the second half to preserve their 1-0 advantage and secure a memorable victory over the world champions.
Argentina played without their captain and talisman Lionel Messi, who did not suit up for the match after playing his final official home game last Thursday. Despite the absence of their star player and the surprising defeat, Argentina retained first place in the final South American qualifying table with 39 points, maintaining a nine-point margin over second-place Ecuador.
The loss to Ecuador marked a rare setback for Argentina, who have dominated South American competition since their World Cup triumph in Qatar. However, the result had no bearing on their automatic qualification status, allowing Scaloni to rest key players while experimenting with tactical formations ahead of the World Cup.
Ecuador’s victory elevated them to second place in the final standings, confirming their direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The result capped an impressive qualifying campaign for Ecuador, who demonstrated consistent performance throughout the grueling South American process.
Colombia secured third place in the regional standings with a thrilling 6-3 victory over Venezuela in Maturin, featuring a spectacular individual performance from Luis Suarez, who scored four goals to single-handedly extinguish Venezuela’s hopes of claiming the playoff position that ultimately went to Bolivia.
Suarez’s four-goal display highlighted the veteran striker’s enduring quality at international level, while simultaneously dashing Venezuelan dreams of reaching their first-ever World Cup. The result confirmed Colombia’s direct qualification while relegating Venezuela to seventh place, outside both automatic qualification and playoff contention.
Uruguay concluded their qualifying campaign in fourth place following a scoreless draw with Chile in Santiago, securing their direct passage to the 2026 tournament. The result satisfied both teams’ immediate objectives, with Uruguay avoiding any late drama while Chile’s hopes had already been mathematically eliminated prior to the final matchday.
Paraguay claimed sixth place in the final table after defeating Peru 1-0 in Lima through a decisive strike from Matias Galarza. The victory provided Paraguay with a positive conclusion to their qualifying campaign, though they finished outside both automatic qualification and playoff positions.
The final round of South American qualifying delivered dramatic conclusions befitting the continent’s reputation for producing some of international football’s most competitive and unpredictable matches, with Bolivia’s historic upset of Brazil serving as the evening’s most remarkable story.
