The Colombia men’s national football team will return to action in November 2026 for a two-match international friendly series against Chile, following a September-October FIFA window that yielded one win, one draw, and one loss, AS Colombia reported.
Match Dates And Venues In Cali And Santiago
La Tricolor will face Chile in a home-and-away double header during the mid-November FIFA window. The opening match is scheduled for Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero in Cali, Colombia. According to statements from Ramón Jesurún, ticket proceeds from the Cali fixture will be donated directly to victims of the recent earthquake that struck the country. The venue selection brings the national team back to the Pascual Guerrero for the first time since a 1999 friendly against Denmark, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The second leg will take place on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile, as detailed by AS Colombia. Win Sports noted that kickoff times for both encounters remain pending confirmation from the Colombian federation.
Recent Results In The United States And Friendly Record
The upcoming fixtures follow a three-match tour across the United States. Colombia opened that stretch with a 1-1 draw against Mexico, dropped a 1-0 result to Paraguay following an annotation by Hugo Benítez at 56 minutes of play, and closed with a 2-0 victory over Peru at Nu Stadium in Miami, Florida, as documented by AS Colombia. Afterward, Daniel Arcila scored with a shot from the edge of the area that ended up confusing goalkeeper Pedro Gallese in stoppage time. Facing the Inca team, Colombia had a better performance in the second half thanks to the modifications, while Peru played the entire second half with 10 players. Under Néstor Lorenzo’s guidance, Colombia has contested 24 friendly matches, suffering only three defeats—against Croatia (1-2), France (1-3), and Paraguay (0-1), all during the 2026 calendar year. In the match against France, the opponent had figures such as Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé on the substitutes’ bench.
Logistical Dispute Surrounding The Cali Fixture
The November 13 fixture in Cali has generated local friction regarding venue operations. A municipal councilman publicly criticized the Colombian Football Federation’s approach to ticket sales and private boxes at the Pascual Guerrero stadium, alleging a conflict over pre-leased seating arrangements in the oriental stand.
Squad Rotation And First Caps Under Lorenzo
Manager Néstor Lorenzo utilized 24 of the 26 players called up during the September-October international window, with central defender Royer Caicedo and Club América winger Óscar Perea remaining without action. Goalkeeping duties were distributed across three players, with Álvaro Montero starting against Mexico, Aldair Quintana facing Paraguay, and Kevin Mier playing against Peru. In the case of Quintana, he could not be part of the squad for the final match due to the concussion protocol he had to fulfill after receiving a blow to the head in the duel against the Paraguayans. The matches also featured senior international debuts for Juan Manuel Rengifo and Daniel Arcila, both coming off the bench in the victory over Peru.
Future International Calendar Beyond November
Following the conclusion of the November series against Chile, the Colombian squad will break until the opening FIFA international window of 2027, scheduled between March 22 and March 30, 2027, according to AS Colombia. Opponents and venues for those spring fixtures have not yet been announced by the federation.
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