Bolivia defeat Brazil and move closer to World Cup qualification: When are the playoffs and who will they face?

This Tuesday marked the official end of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While the six teams earning direct qualification had already been confirmed last week, Bolivia secured seventh place after beating Brazil and will now play a playoff for a chance to return to soccer’s biggest stage for the first time since 1994.

Despite entering the final matchday behind Venezuela in the standings, everything fell perfectly into place for the Bolivians. A goal by Miguel Terceros from the penalty spot gave them a home win over Brazil, and they capitalized on Venezuela’s crushing 6–2 loss to Colombia to claim the coveted seventh position.

Now Bolivia face a new challenge in their quest to qualify for the World Cup. In March 2026, they will travel to Mexico to compete in an intercontinental playoff tournament featuring five other teams from different confederations, all fighting for the final two World Cup spots.

The South American side is the second team officially confirmed for the playoffs. The first was New Caledonia, which earned its spot after a historic run in Oceania, finishing second only to New Zealand. However, four more playoff participants are still to be determined: one team from Africa, one from Asia, and two from Concacaf — the latter having extra spots as the host confederation for the 2026 World Cup.

What is the format of the World Cup playoff?

During the October and November international breaks, the final directly qualified teams for the FIFA World Cup will be determined from Africa, Asia, and Concacaf. At the same time, the four remaining teams that will compete in the intercontinental playoffs will also be confirmed.

Once all six national teams for the playoff are set, their FIFA World Rankings will be used to determine the matchups. The two highest-ranked teams will receive a major advantage — they’ll advance directly to the final round of the playoff.

The four lowest-ranked teams will face off in two semifinal matchups. The winners of those matches will then play against the two highest-ranked teams, who will be waiting in the final round. The winners of those two decisive games will claim the last remaining spots at the 2026 World Cup.

Bolivia already have an early edge. They currently sit at No. 78 in the FIFA rankings — a position that could improve following the September international break — while New Caledonia are ranked 152nd.

How many World Cups have Bolivia played in?

Bolivia’s qualification for the playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup marks a major achievement. Historically one of South America’s weakest teams, they have spent decades far from reaching that goal.

The last time Bolivia appeared at a World Cup was in the United States in 1994, when they made a historic run through the qualifiers thanks to standout performances from icons like Marco Etcheverry, Jaime Moreno, Erwin Sanchez, and Jose Luis Baldivieso.

Before that, Bolivia had taken part in two other World Cups: in 1930 and 1950. Across their three appearances, they were eliminated in the group stage each time without recording a single win. Their best result was a 0–0 draw against South Korea in 1994.