Argentina’s Lionel Messi (R) vies for the ball with Leonardo Flores from Venezuela during the 2026 World Cup qualifying match between Argentina and Venezuela in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Photo by Adan Gonzalez/EPA
The South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup reached their penultimate round of matches Thursday. Six countries have qualified, leaving one final spot up for grabs.
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia and Paraguay secured direct berths in the tournament, led by star players including Lionel Messi, Neymar, Federico Valverde and James Rodríguez.
The round was marked by celebrations in the countries that qualified and by Lionel Messi’s emotional farewell before his home crowd.
Defending champion Argentina tops the list of qualifiers. Brazil, led by Neymar, maintained its historic dominance, while Uruguay clinched its spot with help from talents like Federico Valverde.
Colombia returned to the World Cup with contributions from James Rodríguez, and Ecuador and Paraguay completed the group, with Paraguay returning to the tournament after 16 years.
Qualifiers will hold a final battle for the playoff spot, to be decided in the last round between Venezuela and Bolivia. Both teams play Tuesday, with Venezuela hosting Colombia and Bolivia facing Brazil.
The scenarios are clear: If Venezuela wins, it secures the playoff spot. Bolivia must defeat Brazil and hope Venezuela loses. A Bolivian draw combined with a Venezuelan loss would leave both tied on points, but goal difference favors Venezuela.
The night of the penultimate round produced an unforgettable scene at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium: Lionel Messi played his final home qualifier and said goodbye with a dream performance.
The 38-year-old Argentina captain scored twice in a 3-0 win over Venezuela and was cheered by more than 80,000 fans. Messi could not hold back his emotion during the thunderous ovation, aware it was his official farewell at home since he will not play the final qualifier against Ecuador.
After the match, Messi spoke candidly about his future. He thanked the fans for their support and admitted that, at his age, he may not make it to the 2026 World Cup. Still, he left the door open, saying he was “excited and motivated” by the chance to play in North America and would evaluate his fitness “day by day” before making a final decision.
In doing so, the Argentine star left fans with a mix of nostalgia and hope. He departs the World Cup qualifiers as a national hero and the all-time top scorer in the South American qualifiers, while keeping the world waiting to see if he will make one last appearance in 2026.
The 2026 World Cup will be played in Canada, Mexico and the United States from June 11 to July 19. The opening match is scheduled for June 11 at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, with the final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
