Switzerland vs Colombia: A history of four meetings ahead of World Cup 2026 round of 16

The 2026 World Cup has reached the knockout rounds, and the round of 16 brings an intriguing matchup. Switzerland and Colombia will battle for a place in the quarterfinals. For the Swiss, it's a chance to prove they can compete with the best; for Los Cafeteros, it's an opportunity to extend a strong tournament run. Their history includes four meetings, only one of which was a competitive fixture. That only official match came at the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Colombia, already eliminated after two losses, stunned Switzerland 2-0 with goals from Hermán Gaviria and Harold Lozano. The Swiss, who had four points from two games, finished second in the group and were later crushed by Spain in the round of 16. The first friendly was played in February 1985 in Colombia. The hosts came from behind twice, with Carlos Valderrama scoring a brace to secure a 2-2 draw. Heinz Hermann and Marco Schällibaum netted for Switzerland. Six years later, in 1991, the teams met in Miami. Switzerland earned their only win in the series, 3-2. The Swiss capitalized on defensive mistakes, and despite two Colombian comebacks, the score remained in Europe's favor. The most recent friendly took place in Florida in 2007, with Colombia winning 3-1. Edixon Perea opened the scoring, Alex Frei equalized, but second-half goals from John Viáfara and Andrés Chitiva sealed the win for Colombia. Overall, Colombia have two wins, Switzerland one, and one draw. Now they meet again in an official match for the first time since 1994, with much more at stake.