MIAMI – The final round of Concacaf Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup continue with Costa Rica accommodation Honduras in Group C on Tuesday at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San José, Costa Rica.
It is a rematch of the October 9 encounter in which the Central American rivals played to a draw in Honduras.
Costa Rica (1-3-1) appears to be rebounding after losing 1-0 to Haiti. The Ticos occupies third place in the group with six points and can ensure direct qualification with a victory against Honduras, combined with a defeat or draw for Haiti.
Honduras (2-2-1) travels to Costa Rica after losing 2-0 in Nicaragua. Despite the past result, The Catrachos remain first in Group A with eight points and a better goal difference than Haiti. Honduras will qualify directly if it wins and Haiti loses, draws or wins and finishes with a lower goal differential.
Haiti 1-0 Costa Rica
Haiti breaks through against Costa Rica
Haiti’s 1-0 victory over Costa Rica moved them one step closer to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and marked their first-ever victory against the Ticos in World Cup qualifying, ending a 5-game winless streak (L-4, D-1). It was also the first time that Haiti kept a clean sheet against Costa Rica during qualifying.
Costa Rica sees its streak of 15 consecutive matches without defeat in qualifying for the World Cup come to an end (11 wins, 4 draws).
Miguel Herrera becomes first Mexican manager to lose to Haiti
Miguel Herrera became the first manager of Mexican origin to lose to Haiti, ending a 7-game unbeaten streak by Mexican coaches against the Haitians (W-4, D-3).
Nicaragua 2-0 Honduras
Nicaragua beats Honduras for the first time in WCQ
Nicaragua recorded its first-ever victory against Honduras in the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, ending an 18-match winless streak against the Catrachos in all competitions (L-15, D-3). Nicaragua had not beaten Honduras since March 12, 1965, when they won 2-0 (goals from Pedro “Peche” Jirón and Gerardo Barrios) at the Concacaf Nations Championship. The victory also ended Nicaragua’s five-match winless streak at WCQ.
Honduras’ invincibility and shutout streak ends
This defeat ended Honduras’ 8-match unbeaten streak in World Cup qualifying (W-6, D-2), as well as its streak of 6 consecutive clean sheets. It was Honduras’ 51st defeat in WCQ history: the 33rd away, the 18th against a Central American opponent and the 51st overall.
For head coach Reinaldo Rueda, this defeat ended his personal streak of 9 matches without defeat at the head of Honduras (W-7, D-2).
