Colombia beat Costa Rica 3-1 in Bogotá on June 1, 2026, a clear result that doubled as the national team’s farewell to its fans before the World Cup.
That is why searches for colombia vs costa rica are focused on this match: Luis Díaz delivered a goal and an assist in front of about 25,000 supporters at El Campín and the game was the last home dress rehearsal before travel to the tournament.
The scoring began in the 17th minute when Díaz set up Davinson Sánchez; Díaz then turned provider into scorer, netting Colombia’s second in the 23rd minute — his 22nd goal in 73 appearances. Costa Rica pulled one back through Andrey Soto in the 33rd, but Luis Suárez sealed the win with a late strike nine minutes from time to make it 3-1.
Colombia used the match to manage minutes and roles: James Rodríguez entered after halftime and took the captain’s armband from Díaz as the veterans rotated through the second half. The result and the crowd reaction gave coach and players the immediate validation of a composed outing in front of home fans.
Context matters: this friendly was Colombia’s farewell before leaving for the 2026 World Cup. The team will train in Bogotá until Thursday, travel to San Diego for a final pre-tournament match against Jordan on Sunday, then head to its Group K schedule — opening against Uzbekistan on June 17 in Mexico City, facing the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 23 in Guadalajara and closing the group against Portugal on June 27 in Miami.
Even with the 3-1 margin, the performance carried a note of caution. A defensive mistake invited Orlando Galo to test the Colombia goal late in the first half and forced a clearance off the line, a moment that underlined lingering vulnerabilities at the back. Those lapses were more conspicuous because Jhon Córdoba did not play owing to a muscle injury, leaving questions about strike options and defensive balance should fitness issues persist.
Costa Rica, not qualified for the World Cup and under new coach Fernando Batista, treated the match as part of a rebuilding process; Batista has summed up his brief tenure as an opportunity where players must prove they belong. His side’s ability to carve out openings despite the loss — and to force a worrying defensive scramble for Colombia — suggested the friendly served both teams’ immediate needs.
The next concrete test for Colombia is clear: the squad leaves Bogotá later this week, faces Jordan in San Diego on Sunday and must travel to Mexico shortly after to begin its World Cup campaign. The single unresolved question hanging over that itinerary is whether Córdoba will recover in time to factor into the rotation for the June 17 opener — a fitness outcome that will force a tactical choice and potentially reshape Colombia’s attacking plan in Mexico City.
