Argentina and Colombia aim for Olympics in Copa América Femenina semis

Argentina's women's national football team faces Colombia in the Copa América Femenina semifinals on Monday, with a victory securing their spot in the women's football competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Coach Germán Portanova's team, the Albiceleste, enters the semifinals after a strong performance in Group A, winning all matches against Uruguay, Peru, Chile, and hosts Ecuador while conceding only one goal.

Star player Florencia Bonsegundo, the tournament's leading scorer for Argentina, expressed the team's satisfaction with their progress and group-winning performance, highlighting the importance of every player being ready to contribute. She described the Copa América as "wonderful" and potentially her last, emphasizing the team's passion and dedication to growing women's football.

The significance of the semifinals is heightened as the two finalists of the 2025 Copa América Femenina qualify for the 2028 Olympics. Therefore, both semifinals (Argentina vs. Colombia and Brazil vs. Uruguay) effectively serve as finals for Olympic qualification. Reaching the semifinals also guarantees all four teams a place in the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.

Colombia, the 2022 finalists seeking their first title, finished second in Group B after draws against Venezuela and Brazil. Their key player is striker Linda Caicedo, the 2022 tournament MVP who now plays for Real Madrid.

Argentina, aiming for its second-ever Olympic participation, previously won the Copa América Femenina in 2006 (the only other winner besides Brazil), which earned them their Olympic debut at Beijing 2008 where they were eliminated in the first stage. The semifinal match kicks off at 9 p.m. at Quito's Rodrigo Paz Delgado stadium and will be broadcast in Argentina by DSports.