Bolivia Secures World Cup Play-Off Spot with Stunning Win Over Brazil

TDT | Manama

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Bolivia kept their 2026 World Cup hopes alive with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Brazil in El Alto on Tuesday, capitalizing on Venezuela’s home loss to Colombia.

Miguel Terceros scored the decisive penalty just before half-time, giving Bolivia the edge against the five-time world champions in a match played at a challenging altitude of 4,150 metres.

The win lifted Bolivia above Venezuela into seventh place in the South American qualifying standings, securing a place in next year’s continental play-offs for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Venezuela, who had hoped to reach the World Cup for the first time, fell 6-3 to Colombia at home.

“We’re very happy, but we need to keep our feet on the ground and continue fighting,” said Bolivian coach Oscar Villegas.

The play-offs, set for next March, will feature six teams, with two earning a spot at the World Cup. Bolivia aims to reach the finals for the first time since 1994.

The victory triggered celebrations across La Paz, the major city near El Alto.

Other results from South America’s final qualifying round saw Argentina lose 1-0 to Ecuador, Paraguay defeat Peru 1-0 in Lima, and Chile and Uruguay settle for a 0-0 draw. Meanwhile, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay had already secured automatic World Cup spots.