Colombia to host Costa Rica in friendly ahead of World Cup

Colombia will face Costa Rica in an international friendly match on Monday at Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Campín in Bogotá. The fixture serves as a final preparation for Colombia ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Costa Rica, which did not qualify for the tournament, continues a rebuilding phase under a new manager.

The match is scheduled for a 7:00 PM local kickoff. Colombia enters the game seeking to regain positive momentum after consecutive friendly losses to European sides Croatia and France in March. Despite those recent defeats, the team had shown strong attacking form in earlier victories over New Zealand and finished third in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying group with a record of seven wins, seven draws, and four losses. Colombia is drawn into Group K for the World Cup, alongside Portugal, Uzbekistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Costa Rica, which failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 2010, has struggled for consistency. The team has only one win in its last ten matches and is coming off a heavy defeat to Iran in March. Fernando Batista, appointed manager after the failed qualification campaign, is still seeking his first victory....