By Samindra Kunti
August 23 – In a letter to FIFA, Conmebol has demanded that the format of the South American World Cup qualifiers be maintained for the 48-team, 2026 World Cup finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
South American officials, federations and national team captains had debated a change in the format of the 10-team marathon qualification format that has 162 matches.
Keeping that format and the packed qualification schedule (instead of returning to a two groups of five qualification format) would effectively end any real opportunity of Brazil and Argentina joining the UEFA Nations League and getting more competitive matches against Europe’s elite teams.
At present, South America is entitled to four direct World Cup slots with the fifth-placed Conmebol team playing an intercontinental playoff.
This year Peru was condemned to the playoff route and the Incas were eliminated by Australia following a dramatic penalty shootout. In 2026, Conmebol however will get six direct slots as well as one playoff ticket, which could render the current 10-team qualifying format less competitive.
Brazil and Argentina ran away with the qualification campaign for the Qatar World Cup, but fourth and fifth place were fiercely disputed.
South America has long had the most competitive qualifiers of all confederations with heavyweights Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay as well as daunting high-altitude trips to Bolivia and Ecuador, but Conmebol considered a return to a pre-94 format with two groups of five, resulting in 80 matches overall.
That idea has now been dispensed with even though it is understood that president Alejandro Dominguez was a fierce advocate for the plan.
Smaller federations believe the current format represents a better chance to qualify for the finals with Bolivia and Venezuela the perennial whipping boys in the region. However, maintaining the format will frustrate Brazil and Argentina as it kills the idea of joining the UEFA Nations League.
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