The South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup were held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and every match on the first day was filled with passion and intensity. CONMEBOL’s 10 teams are ready to secure their tickets to the group stages of the next World Cup.
However, since the 2026 World Cup is the first time that 48 teams are allowed to participate, South American football’s top regulatory body has made certain changes to the qualifiers. The most important thing is the number of countries participating in the World Cup, as the number of places increased from four direct qualifiers to six plus one international play-off.
Likewise, last Thursday and Friday, the first day of the South American Football World Cup took place, with ten teams facing each other in five possible matches.
First day results
The day began last Thursday, September 7, with Paraguay’s 0-0 draw with Peru at the Antonio Aranda Encina Stadium in Paraguay. Last Thursday night, the second match between Colombia and Venezuela was played at the Roberto Melendez Metropolitan Football Stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia. The Caf defeated the Venezuelan team 1-0.
Argentina and Ecuador will come to an end on Thursday, with the current world champions winning 1-0 at the Memorial Stadium in Buenos Aires thanks to a goal from Messi.
Friday’s match started with Uruguay taking on Chile, with Albiceleste beating Chile 3-1, meaning Bielsa’s first victory in charge of Uruguay. Likewise, Brazil and Bolivia ended the day with a 5-1 victory for the “Verdeamarela” team.
Classification