Colombia and Chile to play benefit match for earthquake victims

The Colombian and Chilean national football teams will play a two-match friendly series in November 2026, with the first game serving as a benefit for victims of the devastating earthquake that struck western Colombia on August 10. The match on Friday, November 13, at Cali's Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero will donate all ticket revenue to relief and reconstruction efforts Source: elnacionalve, Infobae. The second match will be played on Tuesday, November 17, at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile Source: emolcl, El Tiempo.

The earthquake's toll

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake, with its epicenter in San José de Palmar, left at least 331 people dead, 154 of them in Cali, and caused an estimated $9.5 billion in damage, affecting nearly 400,000 people Source: Infobae (EFE). Cali was one of the hardest-hit cities, making the choice of venue symbolic.

Broader friendly schedule

Before the Chile matches, Colombia will play three friendlies in the United States: against Mexico on September 26 in Baltimore, Paraguay on October 2 in New Jersey, and Peru on October 6 in Miami Source: El Tiempo, elcolombiano. Chile, meanwhile, will face Canada, the United States, and Mexico in late September and early October Source: emolcl. Colombia's head coach Néstor Lorenzo is set to announce his squad for this new cycle on Thursday, September 17 Source: El Tiempo, elcolombiano.

A historic return to Cali

The match marks the return of the senior men's national team to Cali for the first time since 2008, when Colombia beat Nigeria 1-0 Source: Infobae (EFE). Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder expressed gratitude, stating the city is committed to reconstruction and that the match is a major opportunity for the city to host major sporting events again Source: elcolombiano, elnacionalve.