Guatemala and Costa Rica face off in Concacaf U-20 Championship opener

PUEBLA, Mexico – The 2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship kicks off with Guatemala and Costa Rica meeting in Group B on Friday at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, Mexico.

The match marks the eighth meeting between the Central American rivals in Concacaf U-20 Championship history and the first since the 2011 edition. Costa Rica has won all seven previous encounters.

Guatemala begins its 23rd appearance in the tournament after qualifying directly as one of the highest-ranked nations in the Concacaf U-20 Ranking. Los Chapines will be seeking their first Concacaf U-20 Championship title after finishing as runners-up in 1962 and 1973.

Costa Rica also makes its 23rd tournament appearance and enters in pursuit of a third regional crown and its first since 2009. Los Ticos secured their place by topping Group E in the 2026 Concacaf U-20 Qualifiers with an unbeaten 3-1-0 record. Forward Dax Palmer led the attack with four goals in four appearances during qualifying, while goalkeeper Ian O'Rourke recorded two clean sheets in three matches.