World Cup 2026 South America qualifiers updated standings: Who’s in, who’s still alive, who’s out after Matchday 17
The 2026 CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers are heading into their final stretch during the September international break. Some nations have already booked their ticket, others have been eliminated, while the rest are still fighting for their World Cup dreams. All 10 South American teams will be in action on Thursday, Sept. 4, looking to secure their place in the tournament set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 2026 World Cup will be historic, not only because it will be the first hosted across three countries, but also because the field has been expanded to 48 teams instead of the traditional 32. For CONMEBOL, that means six nations will now qualify directly, while the seventh-place finisher earns a playoff spot.
Under this format, if the playoff representative makes it through, only three South American teams will miss out on the 2026 World Cup. That expansion has opened the door for nations that rarely qualify to finally dream of reaching soccer’s biggest stage.
How does the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup Qualifying table look after Matchday 17?
With 17 games played and only one left, Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Paraguay have already secured their spots at the 2026 World Cup. At the other end of the table, Chile and Peru are the teams mathematically eliminated, leaving only two nations fighting for the playoff position.
| Rank | Nation | Points |
| 1st | Argentina | 38 |
| 2nd | Brazil | 28 |
| 3rd | Uruguay | 27 |
| 4th | Ecuador | 26 |
| 5th | Colombia | 25 |
| 6th | Paraguay | 25 |
| 7th | Venezuela | 18 |
| 8th | Bolivia | 17 |
| 9th | Peru | 12 |
| 10th | Chile | 10 |
Who qualified after Matchday 17?
Several teams have secured their ticket this week. Uruguay, after a 3-0 win over Peru, have climbed to the 3rd position with 27 points. Paraguay was in the same situation as Uruguay, only needing a point to earn their ticket, doing so after a 0-0 draw against Ecuador in Asuncion.
Colombia, who faced a tougher path, also clinched qualification. Los Cafeteros needed all three points against Bolivia in Barranquilla, and with James Rodriguez leading the way, they sealed their spot with a commanding 3-0 victory.
Who was eliminated after Matchday 17?
At the bottom of the table, both Peru and Bolivia faced must-win scenarios. Peru, coached by Óscar Ibáñez, needed a victory over Uruguay to stay alive in the playoff race, but their hopes were crushed after a 3-0 defeat sealed their elimination.
That leaves only two nations still battling for the playoff spot: Venezuela and Bolivia. La Vinotinto currently hold the position despite a 3-0 loss to Argentina, sitting just one point ahead of Bolivia. The race will come down to Matchday 18 on Tuesday, when Venezuela face Colombia and Bolivia take on Brazil.