Which South American teams have qualified for World Cup 2018?

Just two games per team remain as the South American section of qualification for next summer's World Cup reaches its most crucial stage.

Brazil have already secured safe passage to the finals in Russia, but Argentina find themselves with two massive matches ahead as they fight to claim a place in the top four and direct qualification without the need for an inter-confederation play-off.

Brazil 6/1 for World Cup glory

The Albiceleste currently occupy that spot and also have Chile battling to stay alive behind them.

Goal has your complete guide to the current qualification picture as we edge nearer to the return of the biggest sporting event on the planet.

Teams in bold are in position to qualify for the World Cup directly, while the fifth-place team in italics is in position to qualify for the inter-confederation play-offs.

Teams marked with a (Q) have confirmed their qualification and teams marked with an (E) have been eliminated.

Brazil have been dominant since Tite took charge, with the former Corinthians coach guiding them to nine consecutive qualification wins before their run was finally ended with a 1-1 draw in Colombia.

The Selecao had already booked their place at the finals before that, though, and remain 10 points ahead of nearest rivals Uruguay.

Argentina have found things much tougher, winning just six of their 16 games.

They changed their coach in the summer, appointing Jorge Sampaoli, but after a decent draw away to Uruguay in the ex-Chile boss' first match they were then held at home by already eliminated Venezuela.

That has left them chasing Uruguay and Colombia and even behind Peru on goal difference. As things stand, Argentina will need to navigate the inter-confederation play-off.

South American champions Chile are also in trouble. They sit outside of the qualification spots entirely and have to face Brazil away in one of their remaining two games.

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October 5

Uruguay can qualify by beating Venezuela, while Colombia can join them at the finals if they beat Paraguay and Chile fail to win at home against Ecuador.

Ecuador, meanwhile, must win to keep their distant hopes of qualification alive.

But no match has more riding on it than the Argentina vs Peru fixture.

Though nothing can be decided definitively, the result will have huge ramifications due to the way they are currently deadlocked either side of the automatic qualification places.

If that match is a draw or Chile win, Paraguay will need to win to avoid elimination.

October 10

Chile have the nightmare final fixture away at Brazil, meaning they will likely need to beat Ecuador before that just to have a chance at the play-off place.

Argentina have a tricky trip to Ecuador, but if they can beat Peru they may only need a draw to qualify depending on how Chile fare.

Peru are at home but against strong opposition in Colombia, so though they currently occupy an automatic spot they still have a substantial amount of work to do to make the finals.

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The team that finishes in fifth place will go into a two-legged inter-confederation play-off against New Zealand.

The dates for those matches are yet to be confirmed but they will take place in November and the first leg will be at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington.

New Zealand won the OFC (Oceania) qualification section by beating the Solomon Islands 8-3 on aggregate in the final. They are the only possible representatives from that region.