Colombia secured its place in the 2026 World Cup after defeating Bolivia with a solid 3-0 victory on Matchday 17 of the qualifiers. The Colombians added three vital points, which allowed them to confirm fifth place in the standings for now and officially punch their ticket to the tournament. The result sparked the question: which other national teams have also secured qualification?
Alongside Colombia, Paraguay guaranteed its spot in the World Cup after earning a draw at home against Ecuador. That point, combined with Venezuela’s loss to Argentina, mathematically confirmed the Paraguayans’ passage to the tournament. The result capped off a strong campaign and gave them the cushion they needed.
Uruguay also joined the list of qualified teams, defeating Peru with a dominant 3-0 performance. The Uruguayans climbed into third place in the table, while the heavy defeat eliminated the Peruvians from contention. With no path left—not even through the playoff—their World Cup hopes officially ended.
What national teams can still qualify?
The national teams still fighting for a place are aiming for the final ticket to the 2026 World Cup. That spot is seventh place, which grants a playoff berth. Venezuela currently holds that position with 18 points, closely followed by Bolivia with 17. The race is now down to those two, as Peru and Chile have already been eliminated and no longer have any chances to qualify.
Yeferson Soteldo of Venezuela
How is the table shaping up so far?
At this stage, the standings are becoming more defined, and today’s results brought significant changes. Brazil climbed into second place, while Uruguay moved up to third, overtaking Ecuador, who had previously held that spot. With just one matchday left, the battle for playoff qualification and positioning at the top is nearly settled.
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Here is how the table looks at the moment in the World Cup Qualifiers:
- Argentina | 38 points | 17 matches (*)
- Brazil | 28 points | 17 matches (*)
- Uruguay | 27 points | 17 matches (*)
- Ecuador | 26 points | 17 matches (*)
- Colombia | 25 points | 17 matches (*)
- Paraguay | 25 points | 17 matches (*)
- Venezuela | 18 points | 17 matches
- Bolivia | 17 points | 17 matches
- Peru | 12 points | 17 matches
- Chile | 10 points | 17 matches
(*) Qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Which other national teams are already qualified?
Beyond the South American national teams that have already secured their spots, several others around the world have also booked their tickets to the 2026 World Cup. The list includes the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, New Zealand, Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, South Korea, and Australia. With more qualifiers still to be played across the globe, this group represents the first wave of nations officially confirmed for next summer’s tournament.
