Costa Rica vs Curaçao Prediction, Odds and Betting tips
Published: September 24, 2026Updated: September 24, 2026Our methodology
Costa Rica vs Curaçao meet in Concacaf Nations League, Matchday 1 at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa on 2026-09-24 at 22:00. This preview reviews the statistical and form context behind the pick; the prediction and published odds are shown directly on the page.
Match Context
- Competition
- Concacaf Nations League
- Round
- Matchday 1
- Date
- 2026-09-24
- Local time
- 22:00
- Venue
- Estadio Ricardo Saprissa
- City
- San José
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Timezone
- America/New_York
Sources: Concacaf — 2026/27 Nations League September-October schedule
Statistical Core Predictions-Sports-Prime
Sample: Published Statistical Core; sample sizes and caveats are shown per row
Sources: Concacaf — 2026/27 Nations League September-October schedule; Sports Mole — Costa Rica vs Curaçao preview; Rio Times — Costa Rica vs Curaçao: Nations League opener
Costa Rica vs Curaçao Prediction, Odds and Betting Tips
Prediction: Costa Rica to Win Odds: 1.75
Competition: 2026/27 Concacaf Nations League — League A · Group: A · Round: Matchday 1 · Date: 24 September 2026 · Kick-off: 22:00 ET · Venue: Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, San José
Team News, Call-Ups and Availability
Fernando Batista, who replaced Miguel Herrera, called more than a dozen players aged 25 or under, including a 30-player group in camp, and left out striker Manfred Ugalde; Shawn Johnson is missing through a knock. Dick Advocaat's Curaçao include three uncapped players, Nigel Thomas, Kyano Penso and Kiyani Zeggen, and Eloy Room and Leandro Bacuna each have 75 caps. Neither side has a reported suspension.
Projected Lineups
Projected lineups, not confirmed: Sports Mole expects Costa Rica to line up with Patrick Sequeira in goal, Jeyland Mitchell and Francisco Calvo in central defence, Orlando Galo and Andrey Soto in midfield and Sinclair leading the attack. For Curaçao, Room is expected in goal with Leandro Bacuna in midfield. These remain projections until official sheets are published.
Head-to-Head and Match Analysis
Both teams are in poor form. Costa Rica come in on a three-match losing run, conceding eleven goals while scoring once, and are winless in six internationals, while Curaçao have failed to win in three and have also scored only once in that stretch. That makes this a low-confidence match and a fair test of whether the Saprissa setting matters: Costa Rica have won three of their last four Nations League home games without conceding.
Batista's youth policy is the key variable. A squad with more than a dozen players aged 25 or under has energy but limited experience, and the omission of Ugalde removes the most obvious goal reference. Curaçao, with Room and Leandro Bacuna each on 75 caps, have far more collective experience and should be the more organised team, which is why the straight Costa Rica win at 1.75 carries real risk. The teams drew 0-0 in the 2019 Nations League, so history supports a tight result. The most likely game state is Costa Rica with the ball and Curaçao defending in a compact block, leaving the outcome to a set piece or a single Costa Rican break, and a goalless draw is a genuine threat.
There is also a practical point about the setting. The Saprissa crowd has been a factor for Costa Rica in this competition, with three home wins in four and no goals conceded, and the young squad is likely to draw energy from it, but the same youth means the team may struggle to control the tempo if the first half stays goalless.
Statistical coverage is partial. No 2026/27 home or away xG, shot, possession or corner data could be sourced for either team, so those rows are omitted rather than approximated; the 2019 result is historical context.
Market Price and Value
At @1.75 the raw implied probability is 57.1% (1 / 1.75). That is a modest threshold on paper, but the hosts are winless in six internationals, so the price is best read as a bet on the Saprissa home record rather than on current form.
Conclusion
Costa Rica's home record in this competition and Curaçao's difficulty scoring give the hosts a small edge, but their own poor run and a very young squad make this a low-margin selection.
Prediction: Costa Rica to Win Odds: 1.75
Sources
- Concacaf — 2026/27 Nations League September-October schedule: https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/2026-27-concacaf-nations-league-september-october-schedule-confirmed - Sports Mole — Costa Rica vs Curaçao preview: https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/costa-rica/preview/costa-rica-vs-curacao-prediction-team-news-lineups_605593.html - Rio Times — Costa Rica vs Curaçao: Nations League opener: https://www.riotimesonline.com/costa-rica-curacao-concacaf-nations-league-2026/ - Sportskeeda — Costa Rica vs Curacao prediction and betting tips: https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/costa-rica-vs-curacao-prediction-betting-tips-september-24th-2026
Sources & Data
- Concacaf — 2026/27 Nations League September-October scheduleOfficial dates, venues and kick-off times.Accessed 2026-09-24
- Sports Mole — Costa Rica vs Curaçao previewTeam news, projected lineups and form.Accessed 2026-09-24
- Rio Times — Costa Rica vs Curaçao: Nations League openerMatch context.Accessed 2026-09-24
- Sportskeeda — Costa Rica vs Curacao prediction and betting tipsForm.Accessed 2026-09-24
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