October 25 – Bolivia have dismissed their Argentinean coach Gustavo Costas (pictured) after a dramatic start to the World Cup qualifiers.
With four defeats from four matches, the Bolivians sit at the bottom of the qualifying table in South America, prompting the Bolivian FA (FBF) to part ways with Costas who had arrived in La Paz 14 months ago.
“Thank you for everything to the great Bolivian people, it was a beautiful experience, despite the results not happening,” wrote Costas on social media. “Success to all, I carry you in the depths of my heart.”
In September, Bolivia lost their qualifiers against Brazil (5-1) and Argentina (3-0). Even if those results were not unexpected, Costas’s team failed to garner a single point from a doubleheader with Ecuador and Paraguay in October.
Local media report that Brazil’s Antonio Carlos Zago, who led Bolivar to the domestic league title in 2022 is the frontrunner to succeed Costas. In November, Bolivia host Peru before traveling to Uruguay.
Bolivia last qualified for the World Cup in 1994, the final time the tournament featured 24 teams. The 2026 World Cup will see 48 teams competing for the biggest prize in the game in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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