A coaching change for Venezuela's Vinotinto

Venezuela's national football team has sacked head coach Fernando Batista and his entire staff after failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The decision came swiftly after the team's 6-3 home defeat to Colombia, which officially ended their World Cup dreams.

The defeat to Colombia was the final straw for the Venezuelan Football Federation, with the country's President Nicolas Maduro calling for a "restructuring of the technical staff" and a "reorganisation of the strategy." Batista's tenure saw the team win only two of their 18 qualifying matches, a record that sealed their fate.

The dismissal is particularly disappointing as the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams had raised hopes for countries like Venezuela to finally make their debut on the world stage. However, they were ultimately edged out of a playoff spot by Bolivia. The article also noted that Peru, another team that failed to qualify, also parted ways with their coach, Oscar Ibanez.