Thousands of Colombia supporters now descend on Vancouver, where Néstor Lorenzo’s side face Switzerland on Tuesday with the aim of reaching a first World Cup quarter-final in 12 years. The journey has taken fans from Mexico City to Guadalajara, through Miami and Kansas City, steadily moving north for three weeks and filling each host city with vivid colour.
This level of migration has not been seen since 2014, when Colombia last reached the last eight. That tournament in Brazil benefited from proximity, whereas this expedition across North America has required extraordinary commitment.
The 7,000-Mile Journey
The scale of the pilgrimage is exemplified by the Mila family. Juan Carlos Mila, 54, travelled with his wife, children and their partners, flying to Mexico City for the opener against Uzbekistan before returning home when tickets for the Democratic Republic of the Congo fixture in Guadalajara proved elusive. Once the knockout stages arrived in the United States, the family rented a minivan and embarked on a road trip that has clocked up 7,000 miles, taking in the match against Portugal in Miami and the last-32 victory over Ghana in Kansas City.
“We brought T-shirts, vueltiaos hats, caps, Colombia flags,” Mila explained. “My kids, being entrepreneurs, started selling them. It all helps to pay for the vehicle rental, petrol, food, hotels.” The family created a six-metre banner reading “Colombia Mundial 2026” with holes cut for their heads, ensuring they stand out in stadiums.
Captain James Rodríguez addressed supporters before the tournament following disturbances during the 2024 Copa América in the United States. “They should know that we always give everything and that this positive energy – in the right spirit, by posting on social media as well – is contagious,” he said. “You feel it and I simply ask them to bring those good vibes.”
Rodríguez, the breakout star of the 2014 campaign, has struggled to impose himself this time and was substituted at half-time against Ghana. Key player Luis Díaz has stepped into the talisman role, posting after the Kansas City victory: “Thank you for your support. You are incredible!”
Opponents Feel the Heat
The intensity of the support has startled rival camps. Portugal manager Roberto Martínez admitted his side faced a unique challenge in Miami. “This is the first game that we’re playing ‘away from home’, so to speak,” he said before the match. “There is a huge number of Colombia fans here in Miami, so it will be a big challenge to control the game and be ourselves in these surroundings.”
Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz, who coached Colombia between 2019 and 2020 without experiencing a full stadium owing to the Covid pandemic, was equally struck by the atmosphere at Kansas City Stadium. “Colombia have [good] players, passion and incredible fans,” he said following his side’s elimination. “They started to win the game after the anthem. They were stronger with 60,000 people on their side and it affects an inexperienced team. Colombia’s 12th man did a very good job.”
Shirt Becomes Political Symbol
While uniting fans abroad, the national shirt has sparked controversy at home. The World Cup coincided with the second round of presidential elections, during which right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, now president-elect, appeared at events wearing Colombia colours. Left-wing rival Iván Cepeda objected, stating: “The Colombia team is for all Colombians. Its use for political, personal and ideological purposes is a clearly opportunistic move.”
After the Colombian Football Federation indicated it lacked the legal capacity to restrict the shirt’s use, Cepeda ultimately wore it to campaign events himself.
Despite the domestic politicking, Lorenzo’s squad remains a unifying force abroad. They will hope the travelling support provides another formidable advantage when they face Switzerland at Vancouver Stadium on Tuesday.