Bolivia Beat Brazil to Reach World Cup Playoff as Venezuela Miss Out

 

Bolivia secured a place in FIFA’s intercontinental playoff after a dramatic final day in South American World Cup qualifying. The expanded 48-team format offers six playoff spots, with Bolivia joining Oceania’s New Caledonia in the mini-tournament. The other four representatives will be confirmed by November, including Asia’s playoff winner, Africa’s second-round playoff winner, and two teams from Concacaf. The playoff will be staged in Monterrey and Guadalajara, Mexico, between March 23 and 31, with winners of the finals booking tickets to the World Cup.

Bolivia last appeared in the World Cup in 1994 in the United States, where they lost to Germany and Spain but held South Korea to a draw. Often considered one of South America’s weaker sides, La Verde made the most of a tactical move this cycle, shifting home qualifiers from La Paz to El Alto. The change paid off as they beat Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil, while also drawing with Uruguay, results that proved decisive in their push for seventh place.

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With this achievement, Bolivia has a golden chance to return to the World Cup stage for only the second time in history, reigniting hope among their supporters.

The battle for South America’s seventh spot came down to a tense final matchday between Venezuela and Bolivia. Venezuela began the night with a one-point advantage and got off to a dream start in Maturín, with Telasco Segovia scoring early to ignite hopes of a historic first World Cup qualification. Josef Martínez restored their lead after Colombia equalized, but Luis Suárez leveled again before halftime. At the same time in El Alto, Bolivia’s Miguel Terceros converted a controversial penalty against Brazil to hand his team the advantage.

The second half brought heartbreak for Venezuela. Suárez scored three more goals to complete a remarkable four-goal performance, powering Colombia to a 6-3 victory and climbing to third in the standings. Meanwhile, Bolivia held on for a 1-0 win over Brazil, a result that leapfrogged them above Venezuela into the playoff spot.

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When the final whistles blew, Bolivian players celebrated with tears of joy, knowing they had earned a shot at history. In stark contrast, Venezuela’s dream ended in anguish, extending their unwanted record as the only South American nation never to qualify for a World Cup. Their wait will now continue until at least 2030.