World Cup qualifying scenarios in South America | OneFootball

The arrival of this FIFA Date marks the last two rounds of the South American Qualifiers for the World Cup. While the Brazilian National Team is already qualified, six teams are fighting for three direct spots and one playoff spot.

Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Peru take the field this Thursday, potentially concluding their campaigns. These teams play at 8:30 PM (Brasília time), unlike Brazil, which faces the already eliminated Chile a bit later, at 9:30 PM.

(Photo: GRANT HALVERSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Easy Paths

The easiest paths are those of Uruguay and Paraguay. Both teams play at home, facing Ecuador and Peru, respectively, and, in case of a draw, they will be guaranteed a spot in the next World Cup. Currently, both occupy the fourth and fifth positions, each with 24 points.

Another team well on its way to the World Cup is Colombia. In sixth place, with 22 points, just a victory against modest Bolivia will secure a direct spot.

Playoff Battle

The fight for the seventh position, which guarantees a playoff spot in the Qualifiers, is intense. Possible debutant Venezuela occupies seventh place, with 18 points, followed by Bolivia with 17, and Peru, which seeks a miracle with 12 points.

In this round, Venezuela visits Argentina, while Bolivia faces Colombia. The scenario is also unfavorable for Peru, which faces Uruguay away from home.

In other words, it is likely that the playoff spot will only be decided in the last round. Next Tuesday (9), Venezuela hosts Colombia, which may have already secured its direct spot. Bolivia plays with the altitude in its favor, hosting Brazil in La Paz. If Peru manages its first victory, it will face Paraguay in front of its fans in search of an unlikely spot. All matches will be at 8:30 PM.

Current Qualifiers Standings

*teams already qualified in bold. **team eliminated in italics.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.