A Classic CONCACAF Opponent

First Match Against Costa Rica Since the World Cup Qualifying Defeat

The U.S. Men's National Team will host Costa Rica in Orlando and for over nearly five decades of competition, the two nations have fought to a remarkably balanced head-to-head record: 19 US wins, 17 Costa Rica wins with 6 draws across 42 meetings since their first encounter in 1975, a match Costa Rica won 3-1.

The rivalry's most defining characteristic has been the extraordinary power of home field advantage. Costa Rica's dominance in San Jose has been particularly noteworthy - the Americans have never won a competitive match on Costa Rican soil, with their struggles epitomized by a series of crucial World Cup qualifying defeats. From Bruce Arena's tenure in the early 2000s (where his teams scored just one goal while conceding seven in three losses) to Jurgen Klinsmann's 4-0 defeat in 2016, and most recently a 2-0 loss in March 2022, the Ticos' home fortress has remained impenetrable.

The U.S. has enjoyed similar success at home, posting a strong 15-5-4 record on American soil. This includes the famous "Snow Classico" in March 2013, when Clint Dempsey's goal gave the U.S. a 1-0 victory in blizzard conditions in Denver - a match that has become legendary in the rivalry's lore. Dempsey holds the record for most goals scored in the fixture with four.

Recent years have featured several memorable encounters: a dramatic 2-1 U.S. comeback victory in Columbus during 2022 World Cup qualifying, powered by goals from Sergino Dest and Tim Weah (a Leonel Moreira own goal); Costa Rica's emphatic 2-0 win in Harrison that helped derail the Americans' 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign; and a series of decisive U.S. home friendly victories between 2019-2021, including a commanding 4-0 win in Sandy, Utah.

The rivalry's even nature challenges the traditional narrative of CONCACAF being dominated by just the U.S. and Mexico. Despite having a fraction of the population, Costa Rica has consistently proven themselves equal in this matchup, particularly during the last two decades as they've established themselves as a regular World Cup participant, highlighted by their remarkable quarterfinal run in 2014.