Brazil's national team defeated Paraguay 1:0 and secured their qualification for the 2026 World Cup, marking Selecao's first victory under new coach Carlo Ancelotti. Raphinha returned to the lineup, but it was Vinicius Junior who made the difference by scoring the only goal of the match in the 44th minute. Brazil is ranked third in the South American World Cup qualifiers with 25 points, seven more than fourth-placed Venezuela, with two rounds remaining. Along with Brazil, Ecuador also officially secured their World Cup ticket despite finishing their match against Peru with a 0:0 draw, as they rank second in the group with 25 points.