Brazil’s 0-1 loss against Argentina at home in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has majorly affected its chances of qualifying for the final tournament.
The five-time world champion is currently sixth in the standings after losing its last three games against Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay.
Brazil is set to play fifth-place Ecuador next in the qualifiers in September 2024, and will hope to bounce back with three points.
Till now, Brazil has secured just seven points in six matches after two wins and a draw in its first three game.
What is the format of FIFA World Cup qualification in CONMEBOL?
The top 10 South American nations compete in a league with one home and away tie each, giving the teams 18 matches to play.
In the end, the top six teams get direct qualification to the World Cup and the seventh-placed side will play in an inter-confederation play-off tournament.
How can Brazil qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Last year, the sixth-placed team for the 2022 World Cup was Colombia. It had secured 23 points out of the 18 games and in 2018, it was Chile with 26 points.
Going by that trend, Brazil will need at least 20 points to secure qualification, which means it needs 13 or more points in the remaining 12 matches.
Although this might look feasible on paper, Brazil’s struggles on the pitch might continue next year if things remain the same.
Brazil needs to finish in the top six to directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup. However, if it fails to do so, it still has a chance with a seventh-place spot.
Brazil will have to play in the inter-confederation playoffs, facing six teams – one team from each confederation, (CONMEBOL, AFC, CAF, OFC), except CONCACAF, which will have two entries – and fighting for the last two spots of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Anything below that will directly knock Brazil out of the running.
Comments
SHARE