Costa Rica at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Los Ticos compete in Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Manager Gustavo Alfaro, captain Keylor Navas. CONCACAF qualifier.
Costa Rica's outlook at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
At #48 in the FIFA Ranking, Costa Rica will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.
Costa Rica face a stacked Group F: the average opponent ranking is #19, -29 places above them on paper. Realistically they are battling for one of the eight best third-placed slots.
The 2026 tournament uses an expanded 48-team, 12-group format with a new Round of 32. That changes the maths for Costa Rica: the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance, so even a third-place finish in Group F is often enough to reach the knockouts. The first Costa Rica match of the World Cup is scheduled for Sunday, June 14 against Ivory Coast at Gillette Stadium.
Group F draw analysis
FIFA Ranking, confederation, and last-appearance finish for every team Costa Rica face in Group F.
| Team | FIFA Rank | Confederation |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica (this page) | #48 | CONCACAF |
| France | #2 | UEFA |
| Japan | #15 | AFC |
| Ivory Coast | #39 | CAF |
Costa Rica 2026 World Cup fixtures
Players to watch
Get every player's stats - goals, assists, cards, minutes, xG - via the player stats endpoint for competition_id={COMPETITION_ID}.
Costa Rica World Cup history
Costa Rica have appeared at 6 previous FIFA World Cups. Their best finish remains Quarter-finals (2014). Across the last five tournaments they recorded: Group, QF, Group, Group, Group.
Get Costa Rica data via API
// Fetch Costa Rica World Cup 2026 matches
const response = await fetch(
'https://api.thestatsapi.com/api/football/matches?competition_id={COMPETITION_ID}&team=costa-rica',
{ headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' } }
);
const { data } = await response.json();Frequently Asked Questions
What group is Costa Rica in at the 2026 World Cup?
Costa Rica is in Group F alongside France, Japan, Ivory Coast. The average opponent FIFA ranking in Group F is #19.
Who is Costa Rica's manager at the 2026 World Cup?
Gustavo Alfaro manages Costa Rica at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Keylor Navas as captain.
What is Costa Rica's best World Cup finish?
Costa Rica's best FIFA World Cup finish is Quarter-finals (2014). They have appeared in 6 previous World Cup tournaments. Recent form: Group, QF, Group, Group, Group.
Who are Costa Rica's key players at the 2026 World Cup?
Captain Keylor Navas leads a squad whose standout names include Keylor Navas, Brandon Aguilera, Manfred Ugalde. The full 26-player squad is named approximately one week before the opening match.
How did Costa Rica qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
CONCACAF qualifier. They came through the CONCACAF qualifying pathway.
What is Costa Rica's current FIFA Ranking?
Costa Rica are ranked #48 in the world by FIFA at the time of the 2026 World Cup draw. At #48 in the FIFA Ranking, Costa Rica will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.
What are Costa Rica's chances of winning the 2026 World Cup?
Costa Rica face a stacked Group F: the average opponent ranking is #19, -29 places above them on paper. Realistically they are battling for one of the eight best third-placed slots. At #48 in the FIFA Ranking, Costa Rica will look to advance from the group and then play a free-swinging knockout match where anything can happen.
How can I get Costa Rica fixtures and stats via API?
Use TheStatsAPI matches endpoint with competition_id={COMPETITION_ID} and filter by team_id to get all Costa Rica World Cup 2026 fixtures, lineups, live scores, in-play events, xG, and player-level stats. The same endpoint also returns historical World Cup data for Costa Rica going back to their first tournament.
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