Keylor Navas’ Costa Rica and Honduras’ 2026 World Cup dreams fade away in a scoreless draw

That wraps up our live coverage of the CONCACAF 2026 World Cup qualifier between Costa Rica and Honduras. With a 0-0 draw on the score, both national teams ended up being eliminated from the World Cup, with Suriname and Jamaica qualifying to the playoffs as the best second-placed teams. Stay tuned for more updates and coverage of the qualifiers!

Costa Rica draws against Honduras 0-0, with both countries being eliminated from the World Cup!

Dereck Mondaca gest booked after blocking Keylor Navas from delivering a long ball.

After Joel Campbell clashed with goalkeeper Menjivar, a brawl began on the end of the pitch!

After the confrontation between the two teams, striker Manfred Ugalde has been sent off after protesting to referee Drew Fischer.

Nearing the end of the game, the referee has decided to add 6 more minutes to the game!

Marlon Ramirez tried for goal from the left flank, only for Navas to save Costa Rica again!

Vargas gets tackled down by Ramirez, who earns Honduras' second yellow card.

Joel Campbell delivers a great ball into the box finding Kendall Waston, but is easily saved by  Menjivar.

Looking to open the scoreline, Costa Rica make other two substitutions: Joel Campbell and Alexis Gamboa come in for Haxzel Quiros and Orlando Galo.

Reinaldo Rueda hist the table with a triple substitution for Honduras: Romell Quioto, Yustin Arboleda, and Jorge Alvarez come out for Jorge Benguche, Marlon Ramirez, and Carlos Pineda.

Menjivar saves a shot deflected that could have opened the score for Costa Rica!

Without many chances, Honduras once again fails to capitalize a chance from a corner kick.

Less than ten minutes in the game, Kenneth Vargas earns Costa Rica's second yellow card in the game after a foul over Arriaga.

Pushing for the opener, the Ticos make two more changes: Aaron Murillo and Warren Madrigal for Anthony Hernandez and Alejandro Bran Flores.

After a pressure on a heavy touch, Yustin Arboleda is booked after taking Kendall Waston down.

Honduras also makes its first change, with Luis Palma coming off to leave his place to Dereck Moncada.

Coach Miguel Herrera makes the first move on the pitch: Kenneth Vargas comes in for Alvaro Zamora.

Running out of options, Quiros delivers a cross straight to Menjivar's hands.

Costa Rica keeps pushing for opening the scoreline, an attitude that makes the Ticos commit multiple fouls at the start of the second half.

Referee Drew Fischer blows the whistle and the second half is underway!

With Haiti clinging the top of the group with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Honduras are drawing 0-0 in half time!

After recovering the ball, Najar unleashed a powerful strike in a 1-on-1 chance that's brilliantly saved by Keylor Navas!

With the first 45 minutes gone, two minutes will be added to the first half.

The game is stopped once again after Honduras' Marcelo Santos and Costa Rica's Manfred Ugalde clash in the air.

After slipping, Calvo brings Palma down, earning the first yellow card of the game.

Alcocer put an accurate cross form Ugalde, who headed the ball straight to Menjivar's hands!

With Costa Rica growing up on the game, Quioto cools down the heat after receiving a foul by Quiros.

After a great collective play, Rosales shot from a narrow angle, but it was an easy save for Keylor Navas!

Menjivar saved a shot from Ugalde, and after colliding with Zamora, the goalkeeper had to be medically assisted.

After cutting inside and leaving Calvo behind, Luis Palma shot with his left foot, going just wide!

Catching a rebound outside the box, Deybi Flores took a shot that went far up.

Warren Madrigal took a long shot that forced Menjivar to make the first save of the night!

Disputing the ball up high, Honduras' Rosales and Costa Rica's Galo's head collide, with the medical staff having to jump on the field.

With Honduras sitting back, Costa Rica is unable to break through the visitor's defense.

After a great play from the left side, Zamora unleashed a strike that was blocked by Honduras' defense!

Costa Rica's Galo and Honduras' Quioto start to heat up the game, having to be separated after a ball dispute!

The game between Costa Rica and Honduras for the top of Group C is underway!

Drew Fischer has been appointed to officiate the game between Costa Rica and Honduras on Thursday night. The 45-year-old Canadian has been in only one game in CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers across his career as a referee: Road to Russia 2018 game between Mexico and Honduras on July 8th, 2017, where the Tri secured a 3-0 victory.

Match officiating team:

Referee: Drew Fischer
1st Assistant Referee: Micheal Barwegen
2nd Assistant Referee: Lyes Arfa
4th Official: Pierre-luc Lauzière
VAR: Armando Villarreal
AVAR1: Victor Rivas

The rivalry between Costa Rica and Honduras is so significant that the clash between the two national teams has been dubbed the Superclásico Centroamericano, as they are two of the most decorated countries in Central America.

Currently, Costa Rica holds the upper hand in the overall head-to-head record with 20 wins, compared to Honduras's 18 wins, with 25 matches ending in a draw. However, specifically at Costa Rica's National Stadium, the record in World Cup qualifiers heavily favors the local side: in 5 games, Los Ticos have secured 3 wins, with the remaining two games ending in draws.

Mexican boss Miguel Herrera has picked the eleven players to push for a clutch win to keep the 2026 World Cup hopes alive (5-4-1): Keylor Navas; Alvaro Zamora, Haxzel Quiros, Juan Pablo Vargas, Kendall Waston, Francisco Calvo; Warren Madrigal, Orlando Galo, Aaron Murillo, Josimar Alcocer; Manfred Ugalde.

Colombian head coach Reinaldo Rueda confirmed the starting players that will face Costa Rica (4-2-3-1): Edrick Menjivar; Andy Najar, Marcelo Santos, Luis Vega, Joseph Rosales; Kervin Arriaga, Deybi Flores; Jorge Alvarez, Luis Palma, Romell Quioto; Yustin Arboleda.

Costa Rica and Honduras will clash on Tuesday night at the Costa Rica National Stadium, the home of the national team. With a capacity of 42,000, the Ticos are expecting a strong home atmosphere as they look to outshine the group leaders.

A view of Costa Rica National Stadium.

The current stadium opened in 2011, replacing the original venue built in 1924. It has already hosted major events such as the FIFA U-17 and U-20 Women’s World Cups, and now serves as the full-time home for all Costa Rica national team matches.

Costa Rica and Honduras will face off at 8 PM (ET).

You can watch the World Cup qualifiers live on Paramount+.

Welcome to our live blog for the match between Costa Rica and Honduras on Matchday 6 of Group C in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers. Stay tuned for key updates and live minute-by-minute action!