La Roja looks ahead to the 2026 qualifying campaign, which begins on September 8. The year 2023 started with three victories and a draw for the Chilean side.
Chile’s national team has settled venues and kickoff times for their June friendlies, a last practical test before the South American qualifiers toward the 2026 World Cup, scheduled across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Chile’s campaign in the World Cup qualifiers
The first match was set for Sunday the 11th, a 3-0 win over their Cuban counterparts at Ester Roa Rebolledo. On the 16th, La Roja moved to the Sausalito Stadium to defeat the Dominican Republic, guided by Brereton Díaz (3) and Barticciotto (2). Eduardo Berizzo’s squad then issued a warning with a draw in Santa Cruz de la Sierra against Bolivia, a direct qualifier rival.
The qualification process kicks off on September 8 with a clash against Uruguay, a game highlighted by the reunion of the Chilean team with Marcelo Bielsa, newly appointed coach of the Charrúas. Bielsa last led Chile in January 2011 in a friendly in the United States, in Los Angeles, concluding with a record of 28 wins, 8 draws, and a 60.1% win rate over 51 matches.
The format mirrors previous editions: ten CONMEBOL national teams compete in a single group, each playing home and away matches in two rounds, facing every other team twice.
Official schedules for the 48th edition, which starts on June 20 in the United States and concludes on July 14, were announced by CONMEBOL, which sealed a partnership with CONCACAF allowing ten South American teams and six guests from North and Central America and the Caribbean to participate.
After missing out on the World Cup in Qatar, Chile’s national team was revitalized. Following a friendly defeat to South Korea, 2-0 in Daejeon, June saw participation in the Kirin Cup in Japan, where the team finished fourth after losses to Tunisia and Ghana. In 2022, a friendlies in Daejeon preceded the Kirin Cup, led by Son for South Korea’s win.
This marked their second appearance in this long-standing home friendlies series after 2009. That year, under Marcelo Bielsa, Chile fell 4-0 to Japan at Nagai Stadium in Osaka and closed with a 1-1 draw against Belgium at Fukuda Denshi Arena in Chiba, with a goal from Gary Medel.
In the lead-up to the Asian tournament that began in November, Chile confirmed a FIFA date clash in September and prepared for what would be their appearance in the event. The match occurred at Franz Horr Stadium in Vienna, Austria, finishing in a two-goal draw featuring Alexis Sánchez, Arturo Vidal, Afif, and Al Haydos.
However, before facing the organizers of the global event, La Roja suffered a loss against Morocco at RCDE Stadium in Spain.
Looking ahead to November’s FIFA dates, the national team faced Poland at Józef Piłsudski Stadium in Warsaw, kicking off their European campaign in the World Cup group stage that includes Argentina, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. It ended in a 1-0 defeat due to a late strike by Krzysztof Piątek.
The previous meeting with Poland took place on June 8, 2018 in Poznań, ending in a 2-2 draw with goals from Diego Valdés and Miiko Albornoz for Chile, while Lewandowski and Zieliński scored for the opposing side. Four days later, they played Slovakia in Bratislava, a draw that left Chile with a mixed record against the Falcons, highlighted by a 0-2 defeat in 2000 and a 1-2 loss in 2009 in Žilina as part of earlier competitions.
What’s next? The 2026 qualifiers loom, with no more friendlies on the calendar, though microcycles with Chilean league players are planned for the summer.
BERIZZO’S RECORD
FRIENDLIES 2022
Chile’s journey through the 2022 World Cup qualifiers:
The ten South American nations prepared for the route to Qatar 2022. The global COVID-19 outbreak forced adjustments, with FIFA and CONMEBOL rescheduling dates to March and September and shifting the Copa América to 2021. Chile did not qualify for Russia 2018.
How did Reinaldo Rueda perform with La Roja, and how did Lasarte fare?
Later, the calendar was adjusted again, initiating the South American qualifiers with a double date in October. Chile lost to Uruguay away and drew with Colombia at home. In the second call, La Roja earned a 2-0 win over Peru thanks to Arturo Vidal’s goals and Claudio Bravo’s saves.
After a defeat to Venezuela in Caracas, CONMEBOL postponed the March double date due to player availability issues. The organization stated the decision was made because not all South American players could be present in time.
CONMEBOL then moved the double date to June to coincide with Copa América preparations. Martín Lasarte debuted in Santiago del Estero with a draw against Argentina on June 3, followed by a match against Bolivia in Santiago. The federation signaled that health and safety measures would be communicated in due course, as the competition planned to resume against the Greens.
In September, after the fixtures against Brazil, Ecuador, and Colombia, CONMEBOL released dates for October 11, 5, and 12 when Chile would meet Peru, Paraguay, and Venezuela, with a disappointing loss in Lima offset by a 3-0 home win against Venezuela in Santiago. Home matches were played at the San Carlos de Apoquindo stadium in Las Condes, Santiago.
A strong win in Asunción contrasted with a heavy loss in Santiago against Ecuador, keeping Chile from clinching a playoff spot, with just two wins short of advancing alongside Brazil and Uruguay. Only one win was secured in that stretch.
It is noteworthy that CONMEBOL approved a match against Argentina for January 27 in Calama, with the visitors prevailing and hampering Chile’s chances. The final round, marked by losses to Brazil and Uruguay, left La Roja in seventh place with 19 points and out of the Asian tournament path.
Historically considered one of the toughest World Cup qualifiers, the road to Qatar 2022 stretched across October 2020 to 2022, with a double-day format and a plan to determine the four participants for the planetary event, plus a fifth team against Asia in the playoffs.
Will Vidal, Alexis Sánchez, and Claudio Bravo make the cut for 2026?
The next challenges include Copa América 2024 and securing one of the six and a half World Cup spots for 2026.
FRIENDLIES 2021
ANFP
La Roja placed Juan Pinto Durán at the forefront and defeated Bolivia in El Teniente in 2021. This match marked the debut of Martedn Lasarte on the national bench, coming after the suspension of the March double date. Lasarte fielded a mix of rookies and veterans, aiming to test upcoming talents and build momentum for the campaign. Jean Meneses scored in the 2-1 win over Bolivia.
In pursuit of the qualification objective, Chile drew 2-2 with Mexico and beat El Salvador 1-0 in the second friendly, reinforcing the Mexican side’s own statements. The clash with the Azul y Blanco in Los Angeles drew a larger crowd, with a late decisive moment from Vegas sealing a 2-1 Chile win.
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The 2020 Argentina-Colombia Copa América was staged in Brazil in 2021 due to the pandemic. The format had teams playing in their own groups, and the tournament was extended with 38 games, a larger calendar than usual. Chile’s Copa América journey ended in fourth place after a 2-1 defeat to Argentina at Arena Corinthians. Chile had started with a draw against the Albiceleste and then beat Bolivia, earning a place in the knockout stage before being eliminated by Paraguay in the group stage, mirroring a challenging run.
In that cycle, the balance of Reinaldo Rueda with La Roja and Lasarte’s approach drew attention as the team navigated a turbulent schedule, always facing top continental competition. The broader narrative centered on the path toward the Copa América in 2024 and the quest for one of the six direct spots for the 2026 World Cup.
Source: Goal