AfriPulse
The qualification process for the 2026 World Cup has become more complicated after the expansion to 48 teams Top teams like Italy face uncertain futures, while Nigeria have been eliminated entirely from next year’s tournament We explain how a country that suffered 10 defeats in the qualification stage still has a chance to make it The qualification stage for the 2026 World Cup is entering its final stage, with countries battling for the remaining spots.
Bolivia could still qualify for World Cup 2026 despite losing 10 games. Photo credit: Lionel Messi (Instagram)/laverde_fbf(X).
Source: UGC Europe will conclude their qualification games on Tuesday to know the teams that will get automatic spots in the tournament that will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
A few other select teams will move to the play-off stage, which will be held in March next year.
The Democratic Republic of Congo earned Africa’s play-off spot after beating Nigeria on Sunday evening. DR Congo will face five other teams for a chance to get one of the two remaining tickets.
One of the teams they could come up against in the play-offs is Bolivia who, despite having lost 10 games in the qualification window, still have a chance to make it.
After the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, South America (CONMEBOL) were given six automatic spots. South America has only 10 countries, where all the countries are placed in one group and play each other home and away.
The top six qualify directly for the World Cup, while the seventh-placed proceeds to the inter-confederation play-offs.
Reigning world champions Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay clinched the automatic spots while Bolivia will head to the play-offs.
Bolivia World Cup 2026 campaign The team under Óscar Villegas won only six games, drew two and lost 10 games in their 18 qualification games.
Of the six games they won, the biggest one came against Brazil on the last match day, which helped them pip Venezuela to the play-off spot.
Bolivia finished seventh in CONMEBOL qualification. Photo credit: laverde_fbf.
Source: Twitter How do World Cup 2026 play-offs work? The Los Altiplánicos will enter the six-team tournament with one country from Africa (DR Congo), Oceania (New Caledonia), two from Asia (Iraq and United Arab Emirates) and two others from North America.
Once all six teams are known, they will be separated into two groups of three teams each. The top two-ranked nations will go directly to the final, while the other two will play in the semi-finals.
The winners of the final will qualify for World Cup 2026. Bolivia is currently ranked number 76 and are most likely to go into the semi-final first.
DR Congo accused of using juju DR Congo, meanwhile, are 57th and thu
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