The biggest World Cup in history begins next Thursday, June 11, when Mexico hosts South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City to open a 48-team, 104-match tournament spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada through the July 19 final. For Costa Rican fans, it arrives with an unfamiliar sting: for the first time since 2006, La Sele is not in it.
The Ticos were eliminated in November after a 0-0 draw with Honduras in San José, finishing third in Concacaf’s final-round Group C behind surprise winners Haiti and runners-up Honduras. The result ended a streak of three straight World Cup appearances, including the celebrated 2014 run to the quarterfinals in Brazil. Costa Rica will watch the tournament unfold a short flight from home, as neutrals, for the first time in two decades.
That doesn’t mean there’s nothing to cheer. Latin America still sends a deep contingent to North America, and a Central American neighbor is flying the regional flag. Here are six things to know.
1. No Costa Rica — for the first time since 2006. La Sele’s absence is the headline for fans here in Costa Rica. The team had qualified for the previous three editions and reached the quarterfinals in 2014, but a disappointing final round under coach Miguel Herrera left it third in its group. The next realistic shot at qualification comes in 2030.
2. Panama carries the Central American flag. Los Canaleros are the region’s lone representative and landed one of the tournament’s toughest draws in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Ghana. Panama opens against Ghana on June 17 in Toronto, faces Croatia on June 23, also in Toronto, and closes against England on June 27 at MetLife Stadium outside New York. For Tico fans, Panama is the closest thing to a regional rooting interest — and a reminder of the team that has repeatedly gotten the better of Costa Rica in recent qualifying cycles.
3. South America brings its full force. All six CONMEBOL nations qualified directly: defending champion Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Paraguay. Argentina begins its title defense on June 16 against Algeria, with Lionel Messi expected to feature in a record sixth World Cup. Brazil, with Neymar back in the squad, chases a record-extending sixth title. Bolivia, the seventh South American side, fell one game short, losing the intercontinental playoff final to Iraq.
4. Two debutant-level stories with regional flavor. Haiti reached its first World Cup in 52 years by topping the group that eliminated Costa Rica, and opens against Scotland on June 13 in a group that also includes Brazil and Morocco. Curaçao — a Caribbean island of roughly 156,000 people — qualified for its first World Cup and was drawn into Group E with Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Both are feel-good stories that resonate across the region.
5. Mexico opens the show as host. Concacaf’s headline act gets the ceremonial first match on June 11 against South Africa, then plays South Korea and Czechia in Group A. The United States and Canada round out the host trio, with the U.S. opening June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles and Canada beginning the same day against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.
6. How to watch from Costa Rica. Even without La Sele, the Mundial will be widely available. Teletica (Canal 7) carries matches on open television, and its TDMax streaming platform has announced access to all 104 games, with Tigo Sports also holding rights. Many bars, sodas and restaurants traditionally screen the marquee fixtures, so catching Argentina, Brazil or Panama won’t require a subscription if you know where to look.
The tournament runs 39 days and ends July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. La Sele won’t be there — but for a region with this much at stake, there’s still plenty worth watching.
