Tag: World Cup 2026

Brazil booked their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America on Tuesday with a lacklustre 1-0 home victory over Paraguay, the first win of Carlo Ancelotti’s reign.

The five-time world champions, the only team to appear in every edition of the World Cup, punched their ticket to the finals in Canada, the United States of America (USA) and Mexico thanks to Vinicius Jr.

The Real Madrid star bundled home from close range in the 44th minute in Sao Paulo after a cross from new Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha.

Uruguay’s 2-0 win over Venezuela in Montevideo had raised the prospect of qualification for both Brazil and Paraguay at Corinthians Arena.

Paraguay were left needing only a point to qualify, while Brazil knew they could advance with a win in Ancelotti’s second game in charge.

In the event, it was Brazil who seized the opportunity presented by Venezuela’s loss, with Vinicius scoring the only goal just before half-time.

Brazil had struggled to create many chances up until that point, with Cunha squandering a golden chance in the 35th minute after heading wide from point-blank range.

Cunha made up for it with a key part in the goal, capitalising on good work from Raphinha to dart into the box and whip in a low cross for Vinicius, who stabbed home the finish.

The win lifted Brazil into third place in the South American standings with 25 points from 16 games, guaranteeing them a top-six finish and an automatic qualifying berth.

The defeat leaves Paraguay with 24 points, meaning they need one point to secure their first World Cup appearance since 2010.

Surprise package Ecuador joined Brazil by sealing qualification with a point following a 0-0 draw with Peru in Lima.

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In other games, Uruguay edged closer to qualification with their win over Venezuela, while Chile were eliminated with a defeat to Bolivia.

Goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta secured all three points for Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay to leave the two-time world champions firmly on course for a place in next year’s finals.

Like Paraguay, Uruguay need only a point from their final two games to qualify.

Venezuela, who are bidding to reach the World Cup for the first time in the nation’s history, are seventh with 18 points from 16 games.

Argentina, who have already qualified, meanwhile, came from behind to frustrate Colombia with a 1-1 draw in Buenos Aires.

Liverpool star Luis Diaz fired Colombia into the lead with a superb 24th-minute goal, and the Colombians were given a further boost midway through the second half when the world champions were reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez’s dismissal.

But Colombia’s hopes of a vital win were dashed nine minutes from time when Thiago Almada weaved into the box and found the target to level.

The top six finishers in South America qualify automatically for the World Cup, with the seventh-placed team advancing to an intercontinental playoff.

Bolivia defeated Chile 2-0 to end the former South American champions’ hopes of qualification.

It is the third straight World Cup that Chile have missed out on.

The loss continues a dramatic fall from grace for ‘La Roja’, who won back-to-back Copa Americas in 2015 and 2016.

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Uzbekistan and Jordan made history on Thursday by qualifying for their first FIFA World Cup, while the pair will be joined in the 2026 edition by perennial participants South Korea.

Uzbekistan, one of the fastest-rising national teams in Asia, drew 0-0 with the UAE in Abu Dhabi to take the second automatic spot in Group A, although top place is still in play after already qualified Iran lost 1-0 to Qatar in Doha.

Heading into the third round’s final set of fixtures on Tuesday, Iran sit at the summit, two points ahead of Uzbekistan.

The top two teams in each of the three Asian groups advance directly to the FIFA World Cup 2026, while those finishing third and fourth, the UAE and Qatar, secure those slots in Group A and enter a fourth round of qualifiers.

In Group B, South Korea confirmed their place in an 11th straight World Cup by defeating Iraq 2-0 in Basra.

The victory, sealed by second-half goals from Kim Jin-gyu and Oh Hyeon-gyu, means South Korea reclaim top spot from Jordan, whose 3-0 victory against Oman earlier on Thursday ultimately proved enough to secure their participation at the expanded 48-team showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II congratulated the team on social media.

“This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud,” he wrote on X. “Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement.”

Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up etched their name in the record books.

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Iraq were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half when Ali Al Hamadi’s foul on Cho Yu-min was upgraded to a red card following a VAR review.

Iraq sit third in Group B, with Oman and Palestine still able to progress to the fourth round of qualifying. Palestine, who defeated Kuwait 2-0 in Ardhiya, host Oman on Tuesday, while Iraq face Jordan in Amman.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Australia will go head-to-head on Tuesday for the second automatic spot in Group C.

Australia remain in pole position following their last-gasp win against group leaders Japan in Perth.

Defender Aziz Behich was the home hero in front of more than 57,000 fans, rifling into the corner in the 90th minute to give Tony Popovic’s side a crucial 1-0 victory.

“We know there’s room to grow and room to improve, but we’ve done something special tonight,” said Popovic, who saw his team outplayed for long periods by an experimental Japan side.

Saudi Arabia ensured the race for second place will go down to the wire courtesy of a 2-0 win against Bahrain in Riffa.

Goals in either half from Musab Al Juwayr and Abdulrahman Al Obud saw Herve Renard’s men stay three points behind second-placed Australia.

However, the Saudis will have to win in Jeddah by five goals to leapfrog the Socceroos.

Also in Group C, Patrick Kluivert’s Indonesia kept alive their hopes of reaching a first World Cup since the country’s independence in 1945 with a 1-0 win over China. That leaves Indonesia fourth in the group, one point behind Saudi Arabia.

Ole Romeny scored the only goal, his controversial penalty just before half time following a VAR check leaving China rooted to the bottom of the group and thus ending their hopes of making a second World Cup.

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FIFA is to consider allowing domestic leagues to play matches overseas, opening the door to money-spinning English Premier League or Spanish La Liga clashes being staged in the United States of America (USA), the Middle East or Asia.

Football’s world governing body on Wednesday agreed to set up a 10-15 strong working group to examine the idea and make recommendations.

The Premier League and La Liga, with their vast global followings, have long mooted the idea of playing matches outside their home territories.

The new FIFA committee will “gather further information and issue recommendations to the Council regarding potential amendments to the FIFA Regulations Governing International Matches (FRGIM)”, the body said in a statement.

The council — FIFA’s regular decision-making body — said the group would consider 10 aspects of hosting overseas games.

These include the impact on fans, how it would affect the balance of the competition, whether the games would be one-offs or a regular feature, and the impact on football.

Top European clubs regularly play lucrative friendlies around the world such as Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United’s clash in Melbourne next Wednesday, just three days after the end of the Premier League season.

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US broadcasters in particular are keen to cash in on the booming popularity of the English top flight by hosting competitive matches.

La Liga has said it aims to play matches in North America as early as 2025.

Up to now, dreams of a mouthwatering Arsenal v Manchester City or Real Madrid v Barcelona clash stateside have been thwarted by FIFA rules that say competitive league games must be played in their home country.

Much-discussed plans for a Premier League “39th game” overseas were dropped in 2008 following opposition from supporters’ groups, FIFA and UEFA.

But a legal challenge in the United States last month prompted FIFA to reconsider their long-held opposition to out-of-territory matches.

The move came as delegates gather in Bangkok for FIFA’s annual congress on Friday, where the host of the next Women’s World Cup will be decided.

After the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand lifted the profile of the women’s game to new heights, FIFA will decide whether to award the 2027 edition to Brazil or a joint bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

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Lionel Messi scored two goals as Argentina extended their perfect start to South American qualifiers for the World Cup 2026 on Tuesday with a 2-0 victory over Peru.

The Inter Miami star took his international goal tally to 106 with strikes in the 32nd and 42nd minutes at Lima’s Estadio Nacional.

Messi’s first-half brace left reigning world champions Argentina on top of the South American qualifying table with 12 points from four games, five points clear of Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela, who all have seven points.

Restored to the starting line-up after coming off the bench in last Thursday’s 1-0 win over Paraguay, Messi showed no sign of the injuries that have recently limited his appearances in Major League Soccer.

The 36-year-old crashed home an emphatic opener just after the half-hour mark, then added a second 10 minutes later after good work by Enzo Fernandez down the left flank.

The win leaves Argentina firmly on track to return to the World Cup finals in 2026, which are being expanded to include 48 teams and will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The top six teams in South America’s 10-team qualifying competition will be guaranteed a place in the finals.

While Argentina continued their serene progress through qualifying, arch-rivals Brazil suffered a nightmare 2-0 defeat in Montevideo, crashing to a first loss against Uruguay in 22 years.

The defeat was compounded by the sight of veteran forward Neymar being stretchered off just before half-time with what appeared to be a knee injury.

Uruguay’s Darwin Nunez struck with a bullet header in 42 minutes to open the scoring in a dour first half at the Estadio Centenario.

The Liverpool striker then played a pivotal role in Uruguay’s second, holding up the ball well from a throw-in and cutting back for Nicolas de la Cruz to fire past Brazil goalkeeper Ederson on 77 minutes, sealing a 2-0 victory.

The win was Uruguay’s first over Brazil in a World Cup qualifying fixture since a 1-0 victory over the Selecao in Montevideo in July 2001.

The defeat marked another disappointing result for five-time world champions Brazil, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Venezuela last week in the previous round.

Brazilian team officials said Neymar would undergo examinations in Sao Paulo on Wednesday to assess the nature of his injury.

Venezuela meanwhile boosted their hopes of reaching the World Cup for the first time with an impressive 3-0 rout of Chile in Maturin.

Winger Yeferson Soteldo was the star for La Vinotinto, scoring the opening goal and setting up second-half goals for veteran strikers Salomon Rondon and Darwin Machis.

Soteldo opened the scoring in stoppage time at the end of the first half, stabbing a low-angled shot into the bottom corner to the delight of a raucous home crowd.

The Santos winger turned provider for Venezuela’s second, bursting down the left flank and cutting back for Rondon to sweep home from close range on 72 minutes.

Soteldo was also involved in Venezuela’s third, once again finding space on the left wing and crossing for an unmarked Machis to make it 3-0.

Elsewhere Tuesday, Paraguay got their first win of the qualifiers, defeating lowly Bolivia 1-0 in Asuncion with a 69th-minute strike from Antonio Sanabria.

Bolivia remain bottom of the standings while Paraguay are seventh with three points from four games.

In Quito meanwhile, Colombia maintained their unbeaten start to qualifiers with a 0-0 draw away to Ecuador.

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A stunning 85th-minute equalizer from Eduard Bello earned Venezuela a rare draw at Brazil while world champions Argentina made it three wins out of three in South American World Cup 2026 qualifiers with a hard-earned 1-0 win over a determined Paraguay on Thursday.

A third-minute goal from Nicolas Otamendi was just enough for Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina, with Lionel Messi coming off in the bench in the second half and hitting the woodwork twice.

Brazil have never lost to Venezuela in a competitive fixture and have only once before, in 2009, failed to beat the Vinotinto in World Cup qualifying, but they were left frustrated after Bello’s brilliant late leveller.

Brazil took the lead when Neymar had a shot pushed wide in the 49th minute and from the resulting corner, taken by the striker, Arsenal defender Gabriel rose at the near post to angle home a fine header.

The goal forced Venezuela into a more adventurous approach and Wilker Angel flashed a header just wide from a 62nd-minute corner.

Rodrygo then found himself in a great position in the box but the Real Madrid winger blasted his shot into the side netting.

With five minutes left, the home crowd in Cuiaba were left stunned when Jefferson Savarino whipped in a cross and Bello lept acrobatically to blast a spectacular overhead kick past Ederson.

The result leaves Brazil in second place in the 10-team World Cup qualifiers standings, two ahead of Colombia and two behind Argentina.

Messi’s fight for full fitness inevitably dominated the build-up to Argentina’s attempt to maintain their 100% record in the World Cup qualifiers and the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner started on the bench with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez leading the attack.

But it was veteran defender Otamandi who provided the moment of attacking inspiration, meeting a Rodrigo De Paul corner with a brilliant volley at the back post.

Atletico Madrid midfielder De Paul went close to doubling the lead three minutes before the break when he struck the post and moments later Nicolas Gonzalez fired just wide.

Messi replaced Alvarez in the 53rd minute as Scaloni looked to break down a disciplined and well-organised Paraguay side but the woodwork foiled their talisman.

An inswinging corner from the right almost snuck in, but struck the post and then, after winning a free kick on the edge of the box, Messi curled his shot against the same post.

Meanwhile, Darwin Nunez struck a stoppage-time penalty as Uruguay fought back for a 2-2 draw with Colombia in Barranquilla and Ecuador got their first points with a last-gasp 2-1 win at Bolivia and Chile beat Peru 2-0.

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Argentina captain Lionel Messi has said that he is unsure about his participation in the next FIFA World Cup in 2026, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“I don’t know if I will get there,” he told Argentine media personality Miguel Garrados in an interview broadcast on YouTube Thursday. “I don’t think about it yet because it is far away.”

By the time of FIFA World Cup 2026, Messi will be 39 years of age. For now, he said he is only focused on the 2024 US-hosted Copa America tournament.

“After the Copa America we’ll see, it will depend on how I feel,” he said. “There are still three years left.”

Messi led Argentina to victory against France in the World Cup final in Qatar last December.

In the interview, he reiterated his disappointment with not having received sufficient “recognition” at his former French club Paris Saint-Germain after holding aloft the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He claimed he was the only one of his Argentine team mates “who got no recognition” from his club.

“It was not what I expected but I’ve always said that things happen for a reason,” Messi said of his Paris years, adding he “wasn’t well there.”

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had already stated on numerous occasions that he was unhappy at PSG before moving to Florida to play for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

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