Spain and Costa Rica will face off in the opening match of Group C of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on Friday at the Wellington Regional Stadium in New Zealand.
Spain are the favorites to win the match, as they have a strong team on paper, with players like Jennifer Hermoso and Alexia Putellas. They have put together a winning run that lasted eight matches so far. Costa Rica are a good team too, but they will need to be at their best to get a result against Spain.
The match is expected to be a close contest, but Spain are the favorites to win. Costa Rica will need to play a perfect game to get a result, but it is not impossible.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Spain vs Costa Rica kick-off time
| Date: | July 21, 2023 |
| Kick-off time: | 3.30 pm EDT |
| Venue: | Wellington Regional Stadium |
The Women's World Cup 2023 group game between Spain and Costa Rica will be played at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Friday, July 21. The kick-off is at 3.30 pm EDT for fans in the US.
How to watch Spain vs Costa Rica online - TV channels & live streams
 | FS1 | Watch here |
 | fuboTV | Watch here |
 | Peacock | Watch here |
 | Sling TV | Watch here |
The Spain vs Costa Rica Women's World Cup 2023 fixture will be shown live on FS1, fuboTV and Sling TVin the United States. It can also be streamed live on Peacock. Live updates can be accessed here on GOAL.
Team news & squads
Spain team news
Alexia Putellas, who spent most of the 2022-23 season sidelined due to injury, has made a recovery and is now part of the World Cup squad. She will hope to be fit for Friday's opening game against Costa Rica.
Experienced striker Jenni Hermoso is likely to lead the attack, with Mariona Caldentey and Salma Parallel potentially joining her in the forward line.
It is worth noting that the likes of Mapi Leon, Patri Guijarro, and Claudia Pina have chosen to remain in their international exile and aren't part of the Spain squad at the World Cup.
Spain predicted XI: Misa; Batlle, Codina, Ivana, Carmona; Bonmati, Abelleira, Putellas; Paralluelo, Caldentey, Hermoso.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Rodriguez, Salon, Coll |
| Defenders: | Batlle, Abelleira, Paredes, Andres, Hernandez, Codina, Carmona, Galvez |
| Midfielders: | Bonmati, Guerrero, Hermoso, Putellas, Perez, Zornoza |
| Forwards: | Caldentey, Gonzalez, Navarro, Redondo, Paralluelo, del Castillo |
Costa Rica team news
Bringing her wealth of experience from over 100 international appearances, Katherine Alvarado will be a crucial presence in the Costa Rica midfield.
It is also probable that Daniela Solera will be in goal, supported by the defensive duo of Mariana Benavides and Fabiola Villalobos. They will relish the challenge of stopping the hungry Putellas who will be looking to get on the scoresheet.
Costa Rica predicted XI: Solera; Guillen, Benavides, F. Villalobos, Del Campo; G Villalobos, Alvarado, Rodriguez, Granados, Chinchilla; Herrera
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Perez, Tapia, Solera |
| Defenders: | Guillen, Coto, Benavides, del Campo, Sanchez, Elizondo, Villalobos, Scott |
| Midfielders: | Herrera, Campos, Villalobos, Rodriguez, Valenciano, Chinchilla, Granados, Alvarado, Pinell |
| Forwards: | Salas, Varela, Estrada |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| June 2015 | Spain 1-1 Costa Rica | Women's World Cup |