Author: Shreyas Sharma
The journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup involves determining which teams will join the host nations: Canada, Mexico and the United States. Notably, this allocation plan incorporates an intercontinental play-off tournament involving six teams, determining the final two places in the FIFA World Cup.
This approved allocation of places represents a historic moment, guaranteeing a place for the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) in the final tournament for the first time in the history of the FIFA World Cup. In addition, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will mark the first time that all six confederations will be guaranteed at least one place.
Hosts
The tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Canada’s role as host marks its first hosting experience, while the United States and Mexico will be hosting the tournament for the second and third time respectively. This result was achieved through the “United 2026” candidacy, which secured victory over Morocco’s candidacy in 2018 after a majority vote.
FIFA has revealed a list of sixteen cities across these three countries that will host matches in the tournament. In the United States, eleven cities were selected, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, New York/New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia and Miami. Mexico has confirmed three venues: Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Estadio BBVA in Monterrey and Estadio Akron in Guadalajara. Canada will host matches at two venues: Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton and BMO Field in Toronto.
Allocation of places for the Confederations
AFC with eight direct places and one play-off place, CAF with nine direct places and one play-off place, CONCACAF with three additional direct places and two play-off places, CONMEBOL with six direct places and one play-off place, OFC with one direct place and one play-off place and UEFA with 16 direct places. Two teams from the play-off round will advance to the main World Cup competition.
CONMEBOL qualification process
This process determines which national teams will secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? in Canada, the United States and Mexico. CONMEBOL received six direct places for the World Cup finals, as well as one place in the play-off between confederations.
The qualification structure remains unchanged, despite the increase in places for CONMEBOL teams. The ten teams will compete in a round-robin league format home and away, following the same schedule of matches as in previous editions.
Before the start of the qualifying competition, Ecuador faced a 3-point deduction penalty for falsifying birth documents relating to Byron Castillo during the previous World Cup qualifying cycle.
Brazil’s illustrious history at the World Cup
Brazil has the distinction of being the most successful national team in World Cup history, boasting five championship titles and securing second, third and fourth place on two occasions each. Notably, Brazil is among the few teams, alongside Argentina, Spain and Germany, to have won a FIFA World Cup on foreign soil, achieving this feat on four different continents (Sweden 1958, Chile 1962, Mexico 1970, USA 1994 and Korea/Japan 2002). In addition, Brazil has participated in every edition of the FIFA World Cup, has never been absent and has never had to play play-off matches. In 22 World Cup tournaments, Brazil won 76 of 114 matches, with a goal difference of 129, 247 points won and only 19 defeats, demonstrating the most astonishing overall performance in World Cup history, both in proportional and absolute terms.
Statistics of the head-to-head between Brazil and Bolivia
The next match between Brazil and Bolivia will be their 36th meeting. Previously, Brazil had 26 wins and 4 draws. Bolivia managed to win five times. Bolivia last beat Brazil in October 2009, when they beat the five-time world champions 2-1. The last draw between the two teams came in October 2017. After that, in six games, the Brazilians scored 21 goals against their opponents, never conceding: 4:0, 5:0, 0:0, 3:0, 5:0, 4:0.
Lucky stadium for the national team
Brazil return to the “Mangueirão” after 12 years. Celesão have already played four matches in this arena without conceding a goal.
- On November 8, 1990, the national team used the stadium for the first time. The match was a friendly and ended in a goalless draw against Chile. Coach Paulo Roberto Falcao then only called up players who played in the country.
- Seven years later, on September 10, 1997, Brazil, who were preparing for the ’98 World Cup (where they reached the final), played a friendly against Morocco. The Denilson duo brought home the win – 2:0. Incidentally, they played in the same group at the World Cup – the Seleção also won there – 3-0
- Eight years later, on October 12, 2005, Brazil hosted Venezuela in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. “Magic Square” (Ronaldinho, Kaká, Adriano, Ronaldo) won – 3:0. The goals were scored by Adriano, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos.
- Finally, on September 28, 2011, in the second leg of the Superclásico das Américas, after a 0-0 draw away from home, Argentina were defeated (2-0) thanks to goals from Lucas Moura and Neymar.
Forecast
Considering Brazil’s historical dominance in this match and home advantage, the expectation is that the Seleção will win 3-0.