Colombian withdrawal from the 1986 FIFA World Cup

The FIFA Executive Committee, after a meeting in Stockholm, Sweden in May 20, 1983, decided to replace Colombia with Mexico, who became the first country to hold a World Cup twice, after 1970.

The country received the commission of the governing body of world football/soccer that year, and the friendship between Alfonso Senior Quevedo (Colombian sports dirigent) and Sir Stanley Rous (president of FIFA) helped to achieve the venue.

However, with the passing of time, due to the few progress in the works of the stadia and the ever bigger requirements of FIFA Executive Committee, the possibility that the country could really host the event was diluted.

In 1970, during the National Games (the Colombian multi-sport event), Alfonso Senior obtained the support of then President Carlos Lleras Restrepo to launch the candidacy for the World Cup.

[1] In 1974, Colombian president Misael Pastrana congratulated Alfonso Senior for the designation of Colombia to celebrate the tournament: Actually, I am highly satisfied.

As we preserve the public good, as we know that waste is inexcusable, I announce to my compatriots that the 1986 World Cup will not be held in Colombia.

[9] The country applied again to organize the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which was announced by the then President Álvaro Uribe, at the opening of the Central American and Caribbean Games held in Cartagena, on July 15, 2006.