Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo said Monday he has scheduled a pre-World Cup “farewell” match in Colombia as part of the final tune-up for the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and confirmed that the federation has already proposed candidate training bases to FIFA.
Lorenzo said the friendly, likely to be played in late May or early June, will serve “not only as a farewell but above all as preparation,” and that the squad will train beforehand in a Colombian site at an altitude comparable to where Colombia will play two group matches in Mexico. “Here in Colombia, we will train at an altitude similar to Mexico, then we will play a farewell match in the country, then we’ll go to the United States,” Lorenzo told ESPN.
Colombia was drawn into Group K, which requires it to play in Mexico City and Guadalajara, and once in Miami. Lorenzo noted the logistical challenge of preparing for three very different environments and stressed the need for an altitude training block to aid physiological adaptation. “Physiological adaptation to altitude. … There are three different elevations, from Mexico City to Guadalajara and then to the heat of Miami,” he said, adding that the staff will manage the demands with hydration, conditioning, and oxygenation tools.
Lorenzo teases that Colombia’s World Cup farewell match will take place in Bogota
The coach said the federation has sent FIFA two or three options for the team’s official training base and is awaiting the governing body’s approval; FIFA generally gives priority to top-seeded teams and to squads that play multiple group matches in the same city. Lorenzo also confirmed the final roster is not closed. “The doors are open,” he said, noting late additions remain possible for players who show form.
Lorenzo emphasized the importance of matching the farewell camp’s altitude to the World Cup venues. Bogota, Mexico City, and Guadalajara are all highland cities. Bogota sits at roughly 2,640 meters (about 8,660 feet) above sea level, Mexico City at about 2,240 meters (7,350 feet), and Guadalajara at roughly 1,560 meters (5,120 feet). Training in a Colombian city with comparable elevation, Lorenzo said, will help the players better adapt before they move to their tournament bases, which makes Bogota’s El Campin Stadium the top candidate for the national team’s farewell match.
The federation is also seeking an opponent for the match in Colombia and plans to move the squad to its final World Cup site several days before kickoff. Lorenzo said the team could arrive “four or five days” before the tournament to finish preparations.
Colombia opens its World Cup schedule in Mexico City against Uzbekistan and will face a playoff winner in Guadalajara before closing the group stage in Miami against Portugal.