The friendly between Bolivia and Gambia, scheduled for Sunday, 4 October in Santa Cruz, has been cancelled, raising questions about both teams’ preparations.
The Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) says it had completed the arrangements needed to host The Scorpions. However, reports from Gambia indicate that concerns over the length of the journey, including several hours of travel and multiple stopovers, played a part in the decision.
The trip also raised issues over players’ return to their clubs after the match. Local media in Gambia reported that some members of the squad were worried about the demands of the journey and the time it would take to get back to their domestic teams.
The cancellation comes after Gambia had made a strong start to their Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign. The Scorpions began with a 2-1 victory over Somalia before producing a notable 4-2 win against Ghana in Accra.
The match in Santa Cruz was intended to give Gambia the chance to continue that preparation against different opposition and face a South American side. The cancellation means that opportunity has been lost.
The FBF has reacted angrily to the decision. It says the arrangements were already well advanced, with flights, hotels, referees and the necessary authorisations all in place.
Bolivia’s football federation therefore considers the cancellation to be a unilateral breach of contract and says it intends to refer the matter to the appropriate authorities.
The Gambia Football Federation has not issued a detailed statement confirming all the reasons behind the cancellation.
The decision also deprives Bolivia of a third fixture during the current international window. Bolivia had already lost 2-0 to Paraguay and 4-0 to Argentina.
Gambia, meanwhile, would have faced a South American team after their two wins in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. The fixture had been intended to give both managers an opportunity to assess players and continue developing their teams before their next competitive commitments.