Bolivia Clinches Intercontinental Playoff Spot in Dramatic World Cup Qualifier

As the final matchday of World Cup qualifying in South America approached on September 10, 2025, the six automatic berths for the CONMEBOL region had already been determined. However, the battle for the seventh spot and a place in the FIFA intercontinental playoff was still up for grabs, and it was Bolivia that emerged victorious in dramatic fashion.

Bolivia earned a 1-0 win over Brazil, with their 21-year-old playmaker Miguel Terceros converting a dubious penalty in the first half. This result, coupled with Venezuela's 6-3 defeat to Colombia, gave Bolivia the coveted seventh spot and a chance to qualify for the World Cup for the second time in their history. Venezuela's wait for their first-ever World Cup appearance will now continue until at least 2030.

In the other notable result, Ecuador defeated the Messi-less defending world champions Argentina 1-0 in Guayaquil. Chelsea's Moises Caicedo was sent off and will miss Ecuador's first World Cup group stage match next summer.

After the final whistles were blown, Bolivia's players celebrated ecstatically, with several players shedding tears of joy. In contrast, Venezuela's captain Salomón Rondón stared into the air as the stadium emptied, the pain of yet another disappointing qualifying campaign lingering.

Bolivia now turns its attention to the intercontinental playoff, where they will face off against other low-ranked teams for the final two spots in the 48-team World Cup field. The mini-tournament will be held in Mexico in March 2026.