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Motagua hosts Alajuelense in the first leg of the Concacaf Central American Cup semifinals on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Estadio Nacional Jose de la Paz Herrera in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, with kickoff at 9:00 PM ET.
In the United States, the match has no confirmed TV channel. It streams live in English on Paramount+, which U.S. viewers can also access through Paramount+ on Prime Video. Spanish-language coverage in the United States has not been confirmed.
Both clubs have already secured a 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup place by reaching the semifinals. What remains at stake in this tie is a place in the Central American Cup final.
| Match | Motagua vs Alajuelense |
| Date | Thursday, October 22, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM CT / 6:00 PM PT |
| Competition | Concacaf Central American Cup, Semifinal First Leg |
| U.S. TV | None confirmed |
| U.S. Stream | Paramount+ / Paramount+ on Prime Video |
| Venue | Estadio Nacional Jose de la Paz Herrera, Tegucigalpa, Honduras |
Where to Watch Motagua vs Alajuelense
Concacaf lists CBS and Paramount+ as its official U.S. broadcast partners for the Central American Cup, with English-language coverage. Every match in the competition streams live on Paramount+ under the current rights deal.
No linear TV channel in the United States has been confirmed for this match, so Paramount+ is the only confirmed U.S. viewing option. Concacaf has not announced a Spanish-language U.S. broadcast partner for the competition.
Semifinal First Leg Preview
Alajuelense is the three-time defending champion and is chasing a fourth straight Central American Cup title. The Costa Rican club is back in the semifinals with 12 goals in six matches.
Motagua stands in its way with the best defensive record in the tournament. The Honduran club is unbeaten through six matches, with three wins and three draws, and has conceded only two goals.
The second leg is on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela. Away goals count in this competition, so even a Motagua win in Tegucigalpa leaves Alajuelense a clear path back.
The winner advances to the final on December 2 and 6, 2026, against the winner of the Club Olimpia vs CS Cartagines semifinal. The champion also earns a bye into the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16.
How They Reached the Semifinals
Recent form in this section covers the 2026 Concacaf Central American Cup only. Motagua finished second in Group D with two wins and two draws, then handled its quarterfinal with room to spare.
Motagua beat Alianza FC 3-0 at home in the quarterfinal first leg, with goals from Óscar Padilla, Jefryn Macías and José Reyes. A scoreless draw in El Salvador closed out the aggregate win.
Alajuelense won Group A with three wins and one defeat, then drew 2-2 at CD Marathon in the quarterfinal first leg. Back home in Alajuela, the champions won 3-1 to take the tie 5-3 on aggregate.
Jeison Lucumí and Ronald Cisneros scored in that second leg. Alajuelense has 12 goals scored and six conceded across its six matches in the competition.
Both clubs also won in domestic league play last weekend, Motagua over Platense in Honduras and Alajuelense 3-2 away to Inter San Carlos in Costa Rica.
Team News
Alajuelense will be without left back Ronald Matarrita, who serves a one-match suspension after picking up a yellow card in each leg of the quarterfinal against Marathon. He will be available again for the second leg.
John Paul Ruiz is expected to start in his place. Coach Óscar Ramírez used Ruiz at left back against Inter San Carlos last weekend to prepare him for this match.
Motagua has the longer list of absences. Captain Cristopher Meléndez is suspended after accumulating two yellow cards in the quarterfinal against Alianza.
Ricky Zapata, Romario and Jorge Serrano are also out injured. Coach Javier López does recover Jonathan Moya and Óscar Discua, who both missed the league match against Platense.
Key Storylines
The tie pairs the tournament’s best defense against a proven champion attack. Motagua has conceded twice in six matches; Alajuelense has scored 12 and found the net in both quarterfinal legs.
Home advantage is Motagua’s clearest asset, and this is its only match in Tegucigalpa. Alajuelense hosts the return leg as the higher-ranked team, so Motagua needs a lead to protect in Alajuela.
An away goal would change the math for Alajuelense. Lucumí and Cisneros lead its attack, and a Motagua defense missing its captain cannot afford a flat first leg.
Head-to-Head
These clubs met in the quarterfinals of this competition a year ago, and that tie finished level at 2-2 on aggregate. Alajuelense advanced on away goals.
The decisive match came in Tegucigalpa, where Alajuelense won 2-1 on a stoppage-time goal from Diego Campos. Motagua has waited a year to answer that elimination on the same field.
Prediction
Motagua’s defensive record makes the first leg close, but its lineup absences are significant. Expect Alajuelense to take a draw back to Costa Rica. Prediction: Motagua 1-1 Alajuelense.
FAQ
Is Motagua vs Alajuelense on Paramount+?
Yes. Paramount+ streams the match live in the United States with English-language coverage. It is also available as an add-on through Prime Video.
What does the winner of this semifinal receive?
The winner advances to the 2026 Concacaf Central American Cup final. Both clubs have already qualified for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup by reaching the semifinals, so qualification is not on the line.
