Guyana’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup were dashed on Sunday after a 9-0 defeat to hosts Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship.
The Junior Lady Jaguars, making their debut in the tournament, needed at least a point to remain in contention for a semi-final place — and with it, World Cup qualification. However, they were outplayed at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela, with Costa Rica racing to a 5-0 lead by half-time.
It was a second heavy defeat for Guyanese side, who had opened their Group A campaign with an 8-0 loss to six-time champions the United States on Friday.
With one group match remaining — against Puerto Rico on June 3 — the Junior Lady Jags sit bottom of the table and are already out of the running for a top-four finish and qualification for the World Cup in Poland.
The team’s progress to the final eight remains a significant achievement. They earned their place by topping their group in the earlier qualifying phase, underlining their growth in regional football.
The United States, defending champions Mexico, and two-time winners Canada have already secured semi-final berths and automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament. Costa Rica, following Sunday’s victory, are second in Group A and on course to progress alongside the Americans.
This edition of the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship, being hosted for the first time in Costa Rica, began on May 27 and features eight teams across two groups. Group B includes Mexico, Canada, Panama, and Nicaragua.
The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals, with all four securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
