For the first time in its history, Argentina will begin World Cup qualifying as the defending champion, and for the third consecutive time the opener pits them against Ecuador.
The South American qualifying process is straightforward on the surface. Ten teams compete in a round-robin format, playing each other home and away. The six best teams earn direct passage to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, while the seventh place grants a final opportunity through the intercontinental or regional repechage. This structure, however, did not always exist. The current format solidified around the France 1998 cycle, replacing earlier arrangements that varied in the number of participants and the means of qualification.
Argentina has navigated the world’s premier football tournament through a variety of routes. In 1930, the team was invited. In 1934, qualification was automated simply by withdrawing as the host nation’s challenger. In 1978, Argentina benefited as the host nation, and in 1982 and 1990 it was granted direct entry as the reigning world champion. Since FIFA reformed the qualification rules so that only the host nation is guaranteed a spot (three hosts will participate in 2026), Argentina will face qualifiers as the defending champion for the first time as the process unfolds in the modern era.
Alongside historical events such as the 1938 boycott over World Cup headquarters, and the withdrawals in 1950 and 1954 driven by disputes with neighboring confederations, particularly Colombia and Brazil, Argentina has participated in a total of 13 World Cup qualifying campaigns to date. The team has reached the World Cup finals in all campaigns except Mexico 1970 and has competed continuously since Germany 1974.
This marks the third consecutive meeting with Ecuador to start the campaign. In 2016, under Tata Martino, Argentina was defeated 2-0 at the Monumental. Four years later they bounced back with a 1-0 victory at La Bombonera, signaling a strong return in the same rivalry to begin the qualifying journey.
Additionally, the national side will be making its tenth home debut in World Cup qualifying, recording seven wins, one draw, and one defeat on home soil. Seven of those matches were hosted at River Plate venues, where Argentina has five wins and a draw—besting the previous result against Chile in 2003 and the aforementioned setback against Ecuador. The team’s home-field history adds a layer of confidence as the qualifying campaign unfolds on familiar turf.
ARGENTINA’S 13 DEBUTS IN THE QUALIFICATION:
*Note: Argentina only needed to play one series against Ecuador to qualify for Chile ’62.
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