The friendly match between Bolivia and Gambia, scheduled for Sunday, October 4 in Santa Cruz, has been canceled. This decision raises several questions regarding the preparation of both teams.
The Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) claims to have made all arrangements to host the Scorpions, while sources in Gambia report complications related to the long journey and the return of players to their respective clubs.
Gambia had recently enjoyed a positive period with two victories in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The Scorpions first defeated Somalia (2-1) and then surprised by beating Ghana (4-2) in Accra. The match against Bolivia was supposed to provide them with the opportunity to continue their preparation against a different opponent from a South American selection. However, the journey to Santa Cruz required several hours of travel and multiple layovers.
According to information reported by local media in Gambia, this situation has caused concerns among some players, particularly regarding their return to their clubs.
On the Bolivian side, the Gambian decision was poorly received. The FBF states that preparations were already well underway, with plane tickets, hotel reservations, referees, and various necessary authorizations in place. The federation thus considers this a unilateral breach of contract and is contemplating taking the matter to the relevant authorities.
For its part, the Gambian Federation has not provided a detailed explanation to officially confirm all the reasons for the cancellation.
This situation also represents a missed opportunity for both teams. Bolivia was set to play a third match during this international window, following defeats against Paraguay (0-2) and Argentina (0-4). Gambia, on the other hand, could have faced a South American team after its two successes in the CAN qualifiers. For both coaches, this match was meant to evaluate certain players and continue collective work in preparation for upcoming challenges.
