Colombia's football resumes after earthquake disrupts league

Colombia's professional football is slowly returning to normal after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck on August 10, killing hundreds and displacing thousands. The league, suspended for over a week, resumed midweek with postponed matches, while clubs and players mobilized aid for victims.

Impact and response

The earthquake, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó, left at least 319 dead and 260 missing, according to official figures cited by Infobae. The disaster forced the Dimayor to postpone all matches from August 10-17, affecting the Liga BetPlay, the Ascenso, and the Liga Femenina. The league resumed on August 19 with two postponed matches, including Águilas Doradas vs. Llaneros, and the sixth round began on August 21 Source: El Colombiano.

Stadium damage and relocation

Several stadiums suffered damage, including the Hernán Ramírez Villegas in Pereira, Palogrande in Manizales, Centenario in Armenia, and Pascual Guerrero in Cali. While Cali's stadium was deemed structurally sound, Pereira's faced significant concerns. Consequently, América de Cali, Once Caldas, and Deportivo Pereira may temporarily play in Ibagué's Manuel Murillo Toro stadium, pending Dimayor approval Source: Infobae.

Solidarity from football world

Players and clubs worldwide expressed support. Lamine Yamal and Ryan Castro launched a joint aid campaign, with Castro sending planes to affected areas Source: El País. Jhon Arias dispatched a plane with medical supplies to Quibdó Source: CNN. Venezuelan players like Edson Tortolero, who experienced earthquakes in both countries, shared their distress, while clubs like Chapecoense offered condolences Source: El Nacional.

Schedule adjustments

The Dimayor initially postponed matches by 24 hours, then rescheduled the sixth round, including moving the Águilas Doradas vs. Millonarios match to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday Source: El Tiempo. The Copa Colombia will now feature single-leg ties to free up calendar space Source: Infobae.