Costa Rica

Tournament History

Costa Rica's World Cup history is defined by one extraordinary tournament and three decades of steady professionalism. The 2014 Brazil campaign was one of the great World Cup stories of the century. Drawn with Uruguay, England, and Italy — three former world champions — Costa Rica topped the group. Keylor Navas saved a penalty against England that defined his career. The Round of 16 win against Greece — with Navas saving another penalty — carried Costa Rica to the quarter-finals. Their run ended against the Netherlands on penalties. The post-2014 era has been a gradual decline. Navas remained the foundation. By 2026, his international retirement leaves a void that cannot easily be filled.

Road to 2026

Coming soon — qualification coverage for the 2026 World Cup cycle.

2026 World Cup Prediction

Without Keylor Navas, Costa Rica lacks the world-class goalkeeper that made the 2014 quarter-final possible. The 2026 cycle will be transitional — group stage is the realistic target. Any progress beyond would require an exceptional collective performance.

Want to track their path? View fixtures and follow standings.

Tournament 2026 So Far

Costa Rica were drawn in Group K for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan. The final standings saw Portugal top the group and Colombia finish second, with both advancing to the knockout rounds. Costa Rica finished fourth and exited at the group stage — their first group-stage elimination at a World Cup since 2014.

Costa Rica took a point from their historic meeting with Uzbekistan in a 1-1 draw, the first ever World Cup meeting between the two nations. They lost to both Portugal and Colombia, but Keylor Navas's experience at the back kept the scorelines competitive against two of the tournament's strongest attacks. The narrow margins masked a more competitive campaign than the final table suggested.

For the full group recap — including Portugal's 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, Colombia's run to the Round of 16, and the knockout path — see the Group K page. Portugal went on to top the group, beat Croatia in the Round of 32, and lost to Spain in the Round of 16. Colombia advanced to the knockout rounds, beat Ghana 1-0 in the Round of 32, and exited on penalties to Switzerland in the Round of 16.

Costa Rica's Anthony Contreras and Keysher Fuller led the squad in goals and creativity; Celso Borges provided the veteran experience in midfield. For Costa Rica, the 2026 cycle is the bridge between the Navas generation and a younger core that will target the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.