Costa Rica

The Story

Costa Rica is not at this World Cup. They drew Honduras 0-0 in San José in November and were eliminated in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, finishing third in their group behind Haiti (yes, Haiti) and Honduras. It is the first World Cup the Ticos have missed since 2006, ending a four-tournament streak that included one of the most beloved underdog runs in modern soccer.

That run was 2014. Costa Rica drew into a group with three former World Cup champions — Uruguay, Italy, England — and topped the table by beating Uruguay and Italy and drawing England. They beat Greece on penalties in the Round of 16, lost to the Netherlands on penalties in the quarterfinal, and went home as everyone's adopted second team. Their goalkeeper, Keylor Navas, signed for Real Madrid that summer and won three Champions League titles in white. He came back for one last qualifying campaign at 39, and the team broke his heart anyway.

So why include Costa Rica in a World Cup guide for soccer-curious Americans? Because pura vida is real, because the Tico diaspora in DFW will still want a watch party that feels like home, and because if you're looking for a team to adopt this summer, Honduras (who beat them) and the United States (their CONCACAF cousin) are the most natural redirects. Costa Rica will be back in 2030 with Manfred Ugalde leading the line. The four-year wait starts now.

3 Players to Know

Keylor Navas

The 39-year-old goalkeeper currently at Pumas UNAM in Liga MX, three Champions League titles with Real Madrid, the most decorated Central American footballer in history. He came back to the national team for the final round of qualifying after a brief 2024 retirement, captained Costa Rica through the elimination loss to Honduras, and is now almost certainly retired for good from international play. He kept Costa Rica in matches they had no business being in for over a decade. They will not see another like him.

Joel Campbell

The 33-year-old forward who scored the goal against Uruguay in 2014 that announced Costa Rica to the world — the chest trap, the volley, the slide on the knees in front of the Brazilian fans who'd been laughing at the lineup. He's bounced through Arsenal loans, Real Betis, Leon, Liga MX. Still gets called up. Will be in coaching or punditry within two years. Was the face of the 2014 miracle alongside Navas.

Manfred Ugalde

The 23-year-old Spartak Moscow forward who is the next-generation Tico — the player who was supposed to lead Costa Rica back to the World Cup and instead became the player Costa Rica is hoping leads them to the 2030 one. Born in San José, raised in the FC Twente academy in the Netherlands. Quick, two-footed, ambidextrous in the box. Twenty-eight years old at the next World Cup, which is exactly the right age.

The Food

Signature Dish

Gallo pinto is the national breakfast — black beans and rice cooked together with cilantro, onion, and a Tico-only condiment called Salsa Lizano (think Worcestershire's tropical cousin), served with eggs, fried plantain, and natilla (sour cream). The other essential is the casado — a lunch plate of rice, beans, a protein (chicken, beef, fish), salad, plantain, sometimes a tortilla. It means 'married,' which is a very Tico way to describe the marriage of components. And then ceviche on the Pacific coast, fresh fish in lime, served with saltines, eaten with a Pilsen beer at 11am.

Where to Eat in DFW

Honest answer: Costa Rican food is almost nonexistent in DFW. Your best bet is the Central American Salvadoran-Honduran corridor in Oak Cliff and northwest Dallas — pupuserías serving gallo pinto as a side, places like Mi Tierrita Taqueria y Pupusería on West Davis Street. For something closer to a Tico casado, look for any Honduran or Nicaraguan plate-lunch spot — the rice-and-beans foundation is shared across the region. El Gallo Pinto in Fort Worth (Instagram @elgallopintofw) does the right dish under the right name. Don't expect a pura vida vibe; expect family cooking from people who know exactly how to season black beans.

Fan Culture

"Pura vida" is the actual Costa Rican greeting, the actual goodbye, and the actual answer to "how are you" — and it captures the national fan culture better than any chant. Tico fans are warm rather than ferocious. The crowd at Estadio Nacional in San José sings, drums, drinks Imperial beer, and occasionally erupts into a "¡Ticos! ¡Ticos!" chant that builds slowly and has a friendly Caribbean rhythm to it. Without a 2026 tournament to gather around, the diaspora in Texas, New Jersey, and Florida will instead host smaller asados, watch the Mexico and USA matches with mixed loyalties, and quietly hope the Gold Cup goes well next summer. The vibe is sad but not bitter. That is very Costa Rican.