Costa Rica will close its June international window on Wednesday with one of the toughest tests available: England at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. The match kicks off at 2 p.m. Costa Rica time, 4 p.m. in Florida and 9 p.m. in England. For England, it is the final tune-up before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For Costa Rica, it is another step in Fernando Batista’s early rebuild after a young squad showed flashes of promise but also clear defensive problems in a 3-1 loss to Colombia on June 1.
England enters the match with far more at stake than a normal friendly. Thomas Tuchel’s team opens its World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17, and Wednesday’s game should give a clearer look at the side he is considering for the tournament. England beat New Zealand 1-0 in Tampa on Saturday, with Harry Kane scoring the only goal, but the performance was more useful than convincing. Tuchel used two different lineups across the two halves and gave minutes to most of his squad in Florida’s heat.
Costa Rica’s challenge will be simple to understand and difficult to execute. La Sele must stay compact, avoid cheap turnovers near its own box and give Manfred Ugalde enough support to make England defend in transition. Against Colombia, Costa Rica recovered from a poor start and pulled a goal back through Andrey Soto, but early defensive mistakes gave Colombia control before the match had settled.
Batista’s squad for England includes 21 players, with Patrick Sequeira, Abraham Madriz and Bayron Mora as the goalkeepers. The defense includes Aarón Salazar, Darril Araya, Fernán Faerron, Haxzel Quirós, Jeyland Mitchell, John Paul Ruiz, Joseth Peraza and Shawn Johnson. In midfield, Batista has Andrey Soto, Cristopher Núñez, Gian Mauro Morera, Luis Flores and Orlando Galo. The attacking options are Carlos Mora, Josimar Alcócer, Manfred Ugalde, Orlando Sinclair and Doryan Rodríguez.
The biggest squad change is the absence of Álvaro Zamora, who was left out because of a personal commitment, with Doryan Rodríguez brought in. Costa Rica is also without Warren Madrigal, Alejandro Bran and Kenneth Vargas, who were previously removed from the group for disciplinary reasons. Jorkaeff Azofeifa has also dealt with illness.
England’s team news is more about selection than availability. Kane is expected to remain the focal point in attack, while Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers are competing for the No. 10 role. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke have joined England’s camp after extra rest following the Champions League final, giving Tuchel more options than he had against New Zealand.
The matchup to watch is Costa Rica’s central defense against Kane’s movement. Kane does not need many chances, and England will look to use Saka, Rashford or Gordon to stretch Costa Rica wide before finding Kane between defenders. Jeyland Mitchell and Fernán Faerron will have to be sharp with their positioning, while Patrick Sequeira may need a strong afternoon to keep the game close.
Costa Rica’s best route into the match is through Ugalde. He had bright moments against Colombia, creating space for himself and giving La Sele a reference point up front. If Carlos Mora and Josimar Alcócer can carry the ball forward quickly, Costa Rica can trouble England on counters. The problem is volume. England will likely control possession, and Costa Rica may spend long stretches defending.
Projected Costa Rica lineup: Patrick Sequeira; Haxzel Quirós, Jeyland Mitchell, Fernán Faerron, Darril Araya; Aarón Salazar; Carlos Mora, Orlando Galo, Andrey Soto, Josimar Alcócer; Manfred Ugalde.
Projected England lineup: Jordan Pickford; Reece James, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Tino Livramento; Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford; Harry Kane.
The official lineups will be released shortly before kickoff, and both coaches are likely to rotate heavily in the second half.
Prediction: England 2, Costa Rica 0.
Costa Rica should be more organized than it was in the opening stages against Colombia, but England’s depth, speed and finishing edge make this a difficult matchup. La Sele’s goal will be to compete better defensively, stay in the match deep into the second half and leave Orlando with evidence that Batista’s young group is moving in the right direction.
