Brazil’s World Cup qualifying woes took a historic turn for the worse when they lost 1-0 to arch rivals Argentina at the Maracana in November 2023.
Nicolas Otamendi’s second-half header sealed a repeat of the 1-0 scoreline from the 2021 Copa America final at the same venue, but the game also incredibly marked the first time Brazil had ever lost a home World Cup qualifier.
It should come as little surprise, therefore, that the Selecao boast an ever-present record at the World Cup going back to the inaugural edition in 1930.
But the Argentina defeat was their third in a row after 2-1 reverses on the road in Colombia and Uruguay, while a 1-1 draw at home to Venezuela in October meant interim boss Fernando Diniz was winless in four matches.
After 12 rounds of matches in the CONMEBOL qualifying section, Brazil found themselves in fifth place. That would be enough for a spot at next year’s finals, but with two tough games against Colombia and Argentina in March, they could soon find themselves in peril once more.
So, is Brazil’s bid to reach the 2026 World Cup in trouble? And what do they need to do to turn it around?
MORE: How Brazil 0-1 Argentina played out
Brazil World Cup qualifying: Fixtures and results
| Date | Match | Result |
| Sep. 8, 2023 | Brazil vs. Bolivia | 5-1 W |
| Sep. 12, 2023 | Peru vs. Brazil | 0-1 W |
| Oct. 12, 2023 | Brazil vs. Venezuela | 1-1 |
| Oct. 17, 2023 | Uruguay vs. Brazil | 2-0 L |
| Nov. 16, 2023 | Colombia vs. Brazil | 2-1 L |
| Nov. 21, 2023 | Brazil vs. Argentina | 0-1 L |
| Sep. 7, 2024 | Brazil vs. Ecuador | 1-0 W |
| Sep. 11, 2024 | Paraguay vs. Brazil | 1-0 L |
| Oct. 11, 2024 | Chile vs. Brazil | 1-2 W |
| Oct. 16, 2024 | Brazil vs. Peru | 4-0 W |
| Nov. 14, 2024 | Venezuela vs. Brazil | 1-1 D |
| Nov. 20, 2024 | Brazil vs. Uruguay | 1-1 D |
| March 20, 2025 | Brazil vs. Colombia | 2-1 W |
| March 25, 2025 | Argentina vs. Brazil | — |
| June 4, 2025 | Ecuador vs. Brazil | — |
| June 9, 2025 | Brazil vs. Paraguay | — |
| Sep. 9, 2025 | Brazil vs. Chile | — |
| Sep. 14, 2025 | Bolivia vs. Brazil | — |
MORE: Latest CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings
What do Brazil need to do to qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
The table outlines the main factor working in Brazil’s favour: CONMEBOL qualification is a marathon, not a sprint.
Three consecutive defeats at any stage of this grueling slog are not ideal but, with two thirds of the campaign to go after that miserable run, there was plenty of time to turn things around.
If all goes to plan, the October/November slump of 2023 will begin to feel like ancient history. Also, an escape route will remain even if they wear the ignominy of a couple more setbacks before the end of this season.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition expanded to 48 finalists. From a CONMEBOL perspective, that means six automatic qualifiers, up from four, and the seventh-placed team entering into an intercontinental playoff.
Brazil have never needed a playoff to reach the World Cup before and it would be something of an embarrassment for them to have to navigate that route. But even if they do so shamefully, the Selecao should emerge to fly the flag at the 2026 World Cup.
