Costa Rica to Learn its Final World Cup Qualifying Rivals This Thursday

Costa Rica is set to find out its opponents in the final stage of World Cup qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The decisive draw will take place this Thursday in Miami at 5:00 p.m. local time.

The Ticos are seeded in Pot 1 alongside Panama and Jamaica, meaning they will avoid those two teams in the group phase. The remaining pots include familiar regional contenders such as Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, as well as emerging sides like Curacao and Nicaragua.

This final qualifying round will feature three groups of four teams. Each team will play home and away matches within the group, for a total of six games. The group winners will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the two best second-placed teams will advance to an intercontinental playoff.

The final round kicks off in September during the FIFA international window. With the road to 2026 about to take shape, Costa Rica is eager to return to the world stage after its last