Following a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10, 2026, Once Caldas manager Hernán Darío Herrera declared he will refuse to coach his team or play upcoming Liga BetPlay fixtures. Speaking to Win Sports, Herrera stated he is ready to resign, emphasizing that human welfare and player trauma outweigh the competitive calendar.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Fixture Congestion: With the Dimayor postponing matches in heavily impacted regions like the Eje Cafetero, Once Caldas players face an unpredictable fixture backlog that will heavily test squad depth upon resumption.
The Human Cost Behind the Dimayor Calendar
The Colombian football landscape ground to a sudden halt on Monday, August 10, 2026, when a powerful 7.4-magnitude tremor shook the nation. With its epicenter located in the Chocó department, the disaster left a trail of destruction across the Eje Cafetero, Pereira, Manizales, and Cali. According to initial reports cited by Infobae, the tragedy claimed 188 lives and left 1,677 individuals injured, alongside widespread structural collapses.
Yet, while emergency responders struggled to clear rubble, the División Mayor del Fútbol Colombiano (Dimayor) initially pushed forward with plans to resume the fifth matchday of the Liga BetPlay 2026-II. That administrative disconnect triggered an impassioned outcry from the technical area. Once Caldas head coach Hernán Darío Herrera made it clear that competitive priorities must yield to national grief, delivering an ultimatum to league executives.
“Hasta que el grupo no esté bien, no voy a jugar. Si me tengo que ir del Once, me voy,” Herrera asserted during an emotional interview on Win Sports’ program Medio Tiempo, highlighting the profound psychological toll exacted on his players and the broader community.
Inside the Once Caldas Crisis
For Herrera, the crisis is not merely a distant headline; it hits directly inside the club’s dressing room. The veteran manager revealed that two members of the Once Caldas squad lost their homes entirely during the seismic event. Pointing to the inadequacy of temporary shelters, Herrera questioned how players could be expected to focus on tactical shapes, low-blocks, and expected goals (xG) while their families lacked permanent housing.
“Tenemos dos compañeros que se les cayó la casa. Entonces yo los voy a llevar a un albergue y después del albergue, para dónde se van? No. Uno tiene es que ayudarles a construir su casa,” Herrera explained to Infobae, underlining the club’s immediate obligation to support its personnel over fulfilling television broadcast windows.
Before the tragedy paused proceedings, Once Caldas sat ninth in the Liga BetPlay 2026-II table, accumulating five points through their opening four fixtures. Statistically, the side had shown robust defensive organization under Herrera’s tactical blueprint, but advanced metrics and league positions instantly lost significance as the human toll mounted.
| Metric / Status | Detail |
|---|---|
| League Position | 9th Place (5 points) |
| Matches Played | 4 Fixtures |
| Immediate Impact Match | Once Caldas vs. Alianza (Postponed by Dimayor) |
| Key Epicenter Zones | Chocó, Manizales, Pereira, Cali |
A Broader Call for Unity Across Colombian Football
As Tus Noticias Deportivas reported, Herrera’s stance resonated far beyond Manizales, challenging traditional regional rivalries in favor of nationwide solidarity. The manager specifically pointed to the historic antagonism between Once Caldas and Deportivo Pereira, urging supporters and clubs to dismantle sporting hostility while citizens in the Eje Cafetero and Chocó cope with devastation.
“Yo creo que ahora tenemos que estar todos unidos y a mí no me pongan a jugar porque no juego, no dirijo,” Herrera stated via Infobae. His defiance forced the Dimayor’s hand, prompting official schedule adjustments—including the postponement of Once Caldas’s fixture against Alianza—to accommodate emergency recovery efforts across the affected departments.
Ultimately, Herrera’s willingness to put his professional tenure on the line establishes a stark precedent for athlete welfare in Colombian sports governance. Whether league officials can construct a balanced calendar once play resumes remains secondary to a locker room demanding stability, security, and basic human empathy.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
