As reported by the local newspaper La Nación, FIFA has raised concerns about a possible rigging of a first-division match played last season in the Costa Rican Liga Promerica soccer tournament. FIFA issued the alert, prompting Costa Rica’s integrity officer, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, to launch an investigation into the match between Santos de Guápiles and Asociación Deportiva Guanacasteca, which took place on October 20 at the Ebal Rodríguez Aguilar Stadium in Guápiles, Limón. Santos won the game 4-0.
According to local paper, participants in that match have been summoned for interviews. However, out of respect for the investigation, their names have not been disclosed. The clubs have not yet been officially notified of the process, but it is likely that this will happen shortly.
At the end of the regular stage of that championship, Guanacasteca finished in fifth place with 35 points, the same as Herediano, which qualified for the semifinals on goal difference. A draw in Guápiles would have secured Guanacasteca’s place in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Santos finished in tenth place with 21 points, ahead of Santa Ana (20 points) and Puntarenas F.C. (15 points).
During that season, Santos struggled, enduring an 18-game winless streak spanning the summer and winter 2024 tournaments. Their first victory of the semester came in October with the 4-0 win over Guanacasteca. In contrast, ADG was in strong form, remaining undefeated in eight matches while competing for a playoff spot.
Other Cases in Costa Rican Soccer
This is not the first time match-fixing has been investigated in Costa Rican soccer. In March 2024, Costa Rica saw its first official punishment for match manipulation. At that time, the Disciplinary Committee of the Costa Rican Football Federation imposed a 10-year sanction on the Puerto Golfito team and three officials.
The case led FIFA’s Integrity Officer in Costa Rica to submit a report to the Federation’s Disciplinary Committee, which ultimately issued the resolution.
