Venezuela was beaten 6-3 by Colombia on Tuesday, finishing their hopes for qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Released on September 11, 2025
Venezuela fired national football coach Fernando Batista the day after the team’s FIFA World Cup qualifying dream ended following an intervention by the country’s president.
News of Argentine’s Batista looting on Wednesday night came after President Nicolas Maduro, along with his entire backroom staff, called for a “restructuring of the technical staff.”
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That’s 24 hours after Venezuela, known as Vinotinto, was slammed 6-3 at home by a Colombian neighbor and finished his first hope of qualifying for the World Cup.
“Yesterday we suffered a painful defeat,” Maduro said.
“Everything in Venezuela calls for the reorganization of Vinotinto’s technical staff, the reorganization of strategy, doctrine, combat and hard work.”
The decision by the world governing body for sports to expand North America’s FIFA World Cup 2026 from 32 to 48 teams has boosted the hopes of teams like Venezuela, the only team in the Conmebol Federation.
However, their defeat to Colombia meant that Bolivia (a 1-0 winner over five-time Champions Brazil) pushed them into the Intercontinental Playoff location.
Peru, whose World Cup qualifying hopes were finished before the final round, has also been dismissed by manager Oscar Ibanez.
They finished the group stage with a disastrous record of two wins and just six goals, along with 10 losses from 18 games.
