The road to the Nations League semi-final and the 2024 Copa America kicks into gear this week as Costa Rica face Panama at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in leg one of that quarter-final tie on Thursday night.
The winners of these two-legged ties will not only play in the Nations League semi-final, but they'll also get a chance to play in Copa America alongside the CONMEBOL teams in that competition.
The Costa Ricans have lost two of their last three games, and coming off the back of a heavy 4-1 loss against the United Arab Emirates.
Los Ticos will look to bounce back and bring their A-game to the Nations League quarter-finals, but that's easier said than done against an impressive Panama side, who are unbeaten in their last five, recording four wins.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Costa Rica vs Panama kick-off time
| Date: | Thursday, November 16, 2023 |
| Kick-off time: | 10:00 pm ET/ 7:00 pm PT |
| Venue: | Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma |
| Location: | San Jose, Costa Rica |
The CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal leg 1 between Costa Rica and Panama will be played at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Thursday, November 16, 2023, with kick-off scheduled at 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT in the United States.
How to watch Costa Rica vs Panama online - TV channels & live streams
 | Paramount+ | Watch here |
The game will be available to stream live online through Paramount+. Fans who are unable to watch the action live can follow live updates on GOAL.
Team news & squads
Costa Rica team news
Costa Rica's most significant absence in this opening match will be skipper Keylor Navas, who has hardly featured for his club side Paris Saint-Germain since Gianluigi Donnarumma's arrival. Alexandre Lezcano is hoping for his first international cap, but other back-up Kevin Chamorro has eight appearances to his name and could start here.
Nashville SC winger Randall Leal has not been selected for this encounter. Centre-back Julio Cascante bagged his first international goal in their previous defeat versus the UAE and could keep his spot in central defence.
Costa Rica possible XI: Chamorro; Valverde, Cascante, Calvo, Oviedo; Acuna, Aguilera, Tejeda, Bennette; Ugalde, Campbell.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Chamorro, Lezcano, Sequeira |
| Defenders: | Cascante, González, Calvo, Oviedo, Arboine, Gamboa, Vargas |
| Midfielders: | Valverde, Bran, Marín, Aguilar, Salas, Tejeda, Aguilera |
| Forwards: | Bennette, Contreras, Mora, Ugalde, Vargas, Zamora, Campbell |
Panama team news
Panama played very well in their last Concacaf Nations League match in what was an impressive 3-0 victory over Guatemala, who themselves have been performing brilliantly lately.
Head coach Thomas Christiansen made just one change to his starting 11 last time out as Jose Luis Rodriguez came into the fold, with Alberto Quintero making way, but could name an unchanged starting XI here.
Panama possible XI: Mosquera; Murillo, Escobar, Cordoba, Davis; Godoy, Carrasquilla; Quintero, Barcenas, Yanis; Fajardo.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Mosquera, Samudio, Mejía |
| Defenders: | Córdoba, Fariña, Davis, Blackman, Ramos, Escobar, Murillo, Andrade |
| Midfielders: | Godoy, Yanis, Carrasquilla, Quintero, Ayarza, Martínez |
| Forwards: | Bárcenas, Stephens, Waterman, Díaz, Fajardo, Guerrero, Rodríguez |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 27/6/23 | Costa Rica 1-2 Panama | CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 29/3/23 | Costa Rica 0-1 Panama | CONCACAF Nations League |
| 28/1/22 | Costa Rica 1-0 Panama | North & Central America - World Cup Qualifying |
| 3/9/21 | Panama 0-0 Costa Rica | North & Central America - World Cup Qualifying |