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Nicaragua host Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Nations League 2026-27 on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the Estadio Nacional de Futbol in Managua. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 PM ET (9:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM PT). In the United States, the match will air on FS2 and stream in English on Fubo and in Spanish on ViX. It is a League A Group A Matchday 3 fixture and a bottom-of-the-table clash: both teams are winless on zero points, with Costa Rica fifth and Nicaragua sixth.
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| Match | Nicaragua vs Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, October 1, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 10:00 PM ET (9:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM PT; 8:00 PM local) |
| Competition | CONCACAF Nations League 2026-27, League A, Group A (Matchday 3) |
| U.S. TV | FS2 |
| U.S. Stream | Fubo (English) (FS2 feed), ViX Premium on Prime Video (Spanish) |
| Venue | Estadio Nacional de Futbol, Managua, Nicaragua |
Where to Watch Nicaragua vs Costa Rica
FS2 carries the U.S. television broadcast of Nicaragua vs Costa Rica. FOX Sports is the U.S. English-language home of the CONCACAF Nations League through 2029. Fubo streams the match in the United States in English through its FS2 feed. The match also streams live in Spanish in the United States on ViX.
Match Preview: Why It Matters
This is a survival match. The bottom two in League A Group A are relegated to League B and face a Gold Cup play-in against League C teams, putting their 2027 Gold Cup hopes at risk. Costa Rica must win both of their remaining group matches and get help elsewhere to have any chance of reaching the quarterfinals; Nicaragua need their first points of the campaign to climb out of last place.
Costa Rica arrive in crisis. The federation fired coach Fernando Batista on September 28 after six matches without a win, and Thursday is the interim debut of Bryan Ruiz, who has recalled 39-year-old Keylor Navas.
Nicaragua, under Juan Cruz Real, get a wounded giant at home: their last meeting in Managua, a 1-1 draw in September 2025 World Cup qualifying, shows the hosts can compete in this fixture. After Thursday, Nicaragua host the Dominican Republic on October 4 (10:00 PM ET) while Costa Rica host Haiti the same day (8:00 PM ET) at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa.
Recent Form
Last five senior internationals for each side, with the competition named for every result.
Nicaragua: September 27, 2026, Curacao 6-1 Nicaragua (Nations League A; Moreno 63′); September 24, 2026, Dominican Republic 3-2 Nicaragua (Nations League A; Juan Luis Perez 40′, Bonilla 84′); June 5, 2026, Nicaragua 0-4 Paraguay (friendly); May 29, 2026, Nicaragua 0-0 South Africa (friendly); March 27, 2026, Nicaragua 1-3 Russia (friendly). No wins, one draw and four losses, four scored and sixteen conceded. Nicaragua have conceded nine goals in two Nations League matches.
Costa Rica: September 27, 2026, Haiti 2-0 Costa Rica (Nations League A); September 24, 2026, Costa Rica 3-4 Curacao (Nations League A; Sinclair 4′, Mora 24′ and 45+1′; Costa Rica led 3-0 at halftime); June 10, 2026, England 3-0 Costa Rica (friendly); June 2, 2026, Colombia 3-1 Costa Rica (friendly); March 31, 2026, Iran 5-0 Costa Rica (friendly). No wins and five losses, four scored and seventeen conceded. Costa Rica conceded nineteen goals in six matches under Batista.
Team News
Costa Rica’s federation dismissed Fernando Batista on September 28 after a 0-1-5 record in six matches, ending a cycle that began in March 2026. Bryan Ruiz takes over on an interim basis for his first match in charge, assisted by Wilmer “Pato” Lopez and Edson Soto.
Ruiz’s first major move was recalling Keylor Navas: the 39-year-old Pumas goalkeeper, who was not called up by Batista, would become the oldest player to appear in an official match for Costa Rica if he plays. Ruiz also brought in Celso Borges, Juan Pablo Vargas and Roan Wilson. Out of the squad are Sebastian Padilla, Gian Mauro Morera and Mathias Elizondo, while Anthony Hernandez was already sidelined with a muscle injury. Costa Rica missed the 2026 World Cup after failing in qualifying, a failure that cost Miguel Herrera his job.
Nicaragua are led by Argentine coach Juan Cruz Real, who was presented by Fenifut in April 2026; Marco Figueroa’s cycle ended in November 2025. It is a renewal squad with twelve legionnaires: Juan Barrera is out after seventeen years with the national team, and Quijano and Coronel are also gone. Bancy Hernandez of Saprissa missed the first two matches of the window and is expected to be available for October 1.
Key Storylines: What to Watch
Costa Rica’s collapse is the story of the group. They led Curacao 3-0 at halftime on September 24 and lost 4-3, then lost 2-0 to Haiti three days later. Nineteen goals conceded in six matches got Batista fired. The question is whether a new coach, a recalled legend in Navas and the desperation of the table produce a response.
Nicaragua’s defense is just as leaky: nine conceded in two Nations League matches. But the hosts have home advantage and a recent precedent: they drew 1-1 with Costa Rica in Managua in September 2025. Costa Rica have never lost to Nicaragua in twenty meetings, yet their last win in any match came against these same opponents, 4-1 in San Jose in October 2025. Expect goals: both back lines are conceding freely.
Recent Head-to-Head
Costa Rica dominate the rivalry: eighteen wins and two draws in twenty meetings, with Nicaragua never winning. The two most recent games were the 2025 World Cup qualifiers: a 1-1 draw in Managua on September 6, 2025, and Costa Rica’s 4-1 win in San Jose on October 14, 2025. That San Jose win is Costa Rica’s last victory in any match.
Prediction: Costa Rica 2-1. Twenty meetings without a Nicaragua win, a new-coach bounce and Navas’s return give the visitors the edge, but Costa Rica’s defensive record means nothing about this trip to Managua will be comfortable.
FAQ
What time is Nicaragua vs Costa Rica? Kickoff is 10:00 PM ET (9:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM PT) on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
What U.S. channel is Nicaragua vs Costa Rica on? FS2.
Can I stream Nicaragua vs Costa Rica in the USA? Yes, in English on Fubo through its FS2 feed, and in Spanish on ViX.
Where is the match being played? Estadio Nacional de Futbol in Managua, Nicaragua.
What is at stake? The bottom two in League A Group A are relegated to League B and face a Gold Cup play-in against League C teams, putting their 2027 Gold Cup hopes at risk. The top two reach the quarterfinals.
