Overview
- Bolivia beat Brazil at altitude in El Alto to secure CONMEBOL’s seventh place and the intercontinental playoff berth.
- The intercontinental playoff will be a single-match mini-tournament in Monterrey and Guadalajara in late March 2026, with seeding based on FIFA ranking.
- New Caledonia is confirmed as the Oceania representative for the six-team playoff field.
- Argentina closed qualifying with a 1-0 defeat to Ecuador in Guayaquil without Lionel Messi, who was rested for the trip.
- Nicolás Otamendi was sent off against Ecuador; media report the red card would carry a suspension into Argentina’s World Cup opener under FIFA rules, though some outlets note a regulatory gray area, and Argentina dropped to third in the FIFA rankings as Spain moved to No. 1.