The Venezuela Football Federation has dismissed head coach Fernando Batista and his entire backroom staff following the team’s 6-3 home defeat to Colombia, which ended their dream of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The decision came just hours after President Nicolas Maduro publicly demanded a complete restructuring of the Vinotinto’s technical staff.
“Yesterday we suffered a painful defeat,” Maduro said. “All of Venezuela demands a restructuring of the technical staff, a reorganisation of the strategy, of the doctrine, and of the line of combat and hard work.”
Venezuela, the only nation in CONMEBOL never to have qualified for a World Cup, had been hopeful of reaching the finals for the first time after FIFA expanded the tournament to 48 teams.
However, their crushing loss to Colombia allowed Bolivia — 1-0 winners over Brazil — to leapfrog them into the intercontinental play-off spot, sealing Venezuela’s elimination.
