Earthquake in Colombia postpones football matches; Libertadores and Sudamericana under review

Colombian football leagues have postponed all scheduled matches for the week following a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the Andean nation, leaving over a hundred dead. The country's football governing body, Dimayor, initially rescheduled some games but later postponed all nine first and second division matches that were due to be played Monday and Tuesday.

The seismic event, centered in the country's west, caused significant tremors felt across major cities including Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali, which are home to Colombia's most prominent football clubs. Cali and Pereira were among the hardest-hit cities. The fifth round of both top-tier and second-tier competitions, scheduled for the weekend, is still planned to proceed but will be subject to daily evaluations.

Dimayor stated in a release that "in circumstances like these, we understand that football must be at the service of the country and accompany those who need it most." The organization is closely monitoring the situation in affected regions.

Colombian teams are also slated to play two Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana matches this week. Deportes Tolima is scheduled to host Ecuador's Independiente del Valle on Tuesday in Ibagué for the Libertadores, while Independiente Santa Fe will face Argentina's River Plate in Bogotá on Wednesday for the Sudamericana. CONMEBOL, the organizer of both tournaments, has not yet officially commented, but sources indicate no immediate changes to the schedule, though the situation is under continuous review.

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In circumstances like these, we understand that football must be at the service of the country and accompany those who need it most.