Ecuador won in Guayaquil on a VAR-awarded penalty converted by Enner Valencia, in a match refereed by Wilmar Roldán that also saw Otamendi sent off and Moisés Caicedo later dismissed. Argentina closed qualifying with 38 points at the summit of CONMEBOL, rested Lionel Messi for the trip, and will drop from first to third in the upcoming FIFA ranking update. Otamendi must serve a ban in an official national-team match, with reporting noting uncertainty over whether it applies to Argentina’s World Cup opener or could be served in another official fixture such as a potential Finalissima. Bolivia beat Brazil 1-0 with a Miguel Terceros penalty to secure seventh place and South America’s spot in the intercontinental playoff. The intercontinental playoff has been confirmed as a six-team mini-tournament in Mexico, staged in Monterrey and Guadalajara from 26–31 March 2026, with two World Cup berths on offer.
