South American Hopes for World Cup 2026
Although the qualification process for the World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico next year has not been completed worldwide, we do now know who will be representing South America – mostly. After the most recent international break, six nations from the CONMEBOL confederation have booked their place, with Bolivia still waiting to play in the inter-confederation playoffs to see whether it will also be making the trip north.
The qualification campaign was as competitive as ever, with everything going down to the final match day for some. If you have been reading a sportsbook review or two to see where you should make a prediction for the World Cup, you will also need to know who to back.
Argentina broke the 20-year drought for South American nations in 2022, when it claimed its third World Cup title. Now, with the tournament taking place a little bit closer to home, there will be a hope that there is a good chance of a country from this region, once again, winning the biggest event in international football. In this article, we will rank each team’s chances of glory.
Long Shots
We have included Bolivia in this preview, as there is still a chance that it can be the seventh South American nation participating in the tournament. There is still a lot of work for La Verde to do to play its part, however. Ranked 76th in the world, there is a good chance that Bolivia will need to navigate two games to make the World Cup. Qualifying for only its second finals will be a big deal, but even if that feat is achieved, there is little chance that Bolivia will go far in the tournament.
Paraguay would seem to have a better chance of causing what would be an upset at the finals next summer. Only one point separated it from second-placed Ecuador in qualification, and this would be its eighth finals, although the first in 16 years. There have been some good results in recent times, but losses to similarly ranked teams, like South Korea, suggest that a long run at the finals is unlikely.
Chance of Doing Well
With an expanded format, there is an even greater chance than ever for a so-called football minnow to do well at World Cup 2026. Obviously, there is also more scope for failure, but each of Ecuador, Colombia, and Uruguay will be confident of being able to progress from the initial group stage, at the very least.
Ecuador might have more belief than most, with a feeling that the nation’s time has finally come, even if it didn’t qualify for a finals until 2002 and won just one game at the most recent World Cup in Qatar. La Tri has been reduced to making up the numbers in the past, but with its players performing at some of the biggest teams in the world now, there is a good chance that Ecuador could do well. Goalless draws were a specialty in qualifying, so it would seem that this side will be ideally suited for the pressure of a finals.
Colombia has a higher profile around the football world, thanks to some of the most colorful characters in the game’s history, such as Carlos Valderrama. But it has been consistently knocking at the door of the top table of football for the last two decades, and goes into this World Cup with a real chance of doing well. An incredible 6-3 win over Venezuela in the final qualifying game showed that we can expect the unexpected – but managing to take a point away in Argentina proves that this is a good team capable of doing well.
Uruguay is the first South American nation in these rankings to have actually won a World Cup, although its two triumphs came about a very long time ago now. La Celeste has been a World Cup regular, however, and will be keen to make up for the group stage exit at the last finals. Its progress to the quarterfinal stage in 2018 is more of an indication of how good Uruguay can be. With its top players plying their trade in Europe and Mexico, there is a lot of talent in the squad.
Favorites
Anyone outside of Brazil might disagree with the Seleção being ranked as a favorite. Recent form has not been exceptional, and it has not lifted the famous trophy for over 20 years. Brazil may well be intrinsically linked with this competition, but it has been a very long time since the likes of Pelé – or even Ronaldinho – were captivating crowds and winning World Cups.
There is always a chance for this group of players, however, and with more players than ever appearing in the EPL, there is a feeling that Brazil will know how to play against the best of Europe. There have been some disappointing results this year, though. None more so than the 4-1 thrashing at the hands of bitter rivals Argentina. Brazil just about still deserves its favorite tag, but it has a lot to prove.
Argentina, on the other hand, looks like it could be on course to win another World Cup and become the first nation to win back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1962. Four years is a long time in international football, but La Albiceleste sit just behind Spain in the FIFA rankings and will want to be saying goodbye to some of its most gifted players in style at next summer’s finals.
Lionel Messi is the obvious focal point of the squad – and will play a major part in any potential success. But the entire squad is full of stars, and there has to be a very good chance that Argentina will be adding another star to its crest in 2026.
