Brazil secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over Paraguay at the Corinthians Arena on Tuesday evening, thanks to a first-half strike from Vinicius Junior.
The Real Madrid forward was on hand to tap home from close range in the 44th minute, finishing off a well-worked move involving Matheus Cunha. The goal proved enough to hand Brazil all three points and marked a winning start on home soil for new head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who notched his first victory in charge of the Seleção.
Despite Paraguay offering occasional threats, Brazil controlled much of the contest and were rarely troubled as they saw out the match with composure and professionalism.
The win lifts Brazil to third place in the CONMEBOL qualifying standings with 25 points from 16 matches, ensuring they will finish within the top six automatic qualification places for the 2026 tournament.
With this latest qualification, Brazil maintain their proud and unmatched record as the only nation to have appeared at every edition of the FIFA World Cup.
Ancelotti will be pleased with the result and the disciplined performance, as Brazil continue to build momentum ahead of the showpiece event in the United States, Mexico and Canada next year.