The last round of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup brings a symbolic but very different matchup in Santiago. On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, Chile will host Uruguay, with Fede Valverde at front, at the Monumental David Arellano Stadium. For La Roja, the game is little more than a formality, as they have already been eliminated from contention. For Uruguay, already qualified, it’s a chance to fine-tune their squad ahead of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Chile is enduring one of the darkest chapters in its modern soccer history. The national team has now missed three consecutive World Cups, an unimaginable fall for a side that once boasted legends like Alexis Sánchez, Arturo Vidal, and Claudio Bravo.
Led by interim coach Nicolás Córdova, promoted from the youth setup, Chile has looked out of answers. Their most recent result, a 3-0 loss to Brazil, left them anchored near the bottom of the standings. Over the entire qualifying campaign, La Roja managed just two wins, four draws, and eleven defeats.
To make matters worse, Chile has not scored in its last five matches and has lost eight of its last nine. Playing at home could provide some comfort, but with morale and confidence at historic lows, even securing a draw against a strong Uruguay looks like a massive challenge.
Chile fails to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Uruguay already preparing for the World Cup
Uruguay enters this match in a much different position. After a convincing 3-0 victory over Peru in Montevideo, Marcelo Bielsa’s squad sealed its ticket to the World Cup with games to spare. The Celeste currently sits third in the table, with an attack that has found consistency and balance.
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Although Uruguay’s away form has been inconsistent—they’ve managed just one road win during the qualifiers, an impressive upset of Argentina—they arrive in Santiago at full strength. Darwin Núñez returns to lead the attack, while Ronald Araújo and Nahitan Nández are also expected back in the lineup after serving suspensions.
For Bielsa, this match represents more than points—it’s an opportunity to solidify his team’s chemistry and test lineups ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Probable lineups
Chile: Viguru; Díaz, Maripán, Román, Ormazábal; Loyola, Pizarro, Suazo; Cepeda, Aravena, Tapia.
Uruguay: Rochet; Nández, Araújo, Cáceres, Piqueréz; Valverde, Bentancur, De Arrascaeta; Pellistri, Rodríguez, Núñez.
With nothing left to play for, Chile will hope to end their disappointing campaign with pride in front of their fans. Uruguay, meanwhile, sees this clash as the perfect rehearsal before the World Cup, with Bielsa fine-tuning a squad brimming with talent.
