Key Facts
—Match: Cartaginés of Costa Rica host Olimpia of Honduras in the semifinal first leg.
—Kickoff: Wednesday 21 October, 10:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Costa Rica and Honduras).
—Venue: Estadio José Rafael “Fello” Meza, Cartago, Costa Rica.
—Second leg: Wednesday 28 October, 11 p.m. ET, at the Estadio José de la Paz Herrera in Tegucigalpa.
—Next: The winner over two games meets Motagua or Alajuelense in the final.
Costa Rica’s Cartaginés host Honduras’ Olimpia on Wednesday 21 October in the first leg of the Central American Cup semifinal. Kickoff is 10:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. local) at the Estadio José Rafael “Fello” Meza in Cartago, so the match will run past midnight on the US East Coast.
The Central American Cup is a club tournament run by Concacaf, the football body for North and Central America and the Caribbean. The semifinal is played over two legs, and the club with the better total score advances.
For the large Honduran and Costa Rican communities in the United States, the late kickoff means a match that finishes after midnight on the East Coast. No US television listing was confirmed at the time of writing.
How the Clubs Reached the Semifinal
Olimpia beat El Salvador’s Luis Ángel Firpo 6-0 on aggregate in the quarterfinals, with the second leg ending 3-0. Cartaginés, playing its first semifinal in the competition, edged Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa 5-4 on aggregate after winning the second leg 3-2 on 16 September.
The clubs met in the 2025 quarterfinals, and Olimpia won both legs: 2-1 in Cartago on 25 September 2025 and 3-1 in Tegucigalpa on 2 October 2025. The aggregate score was 5-2 to Olimpia.
In Plain English
- Leg: one of two games in a tie, with each club hosting once.
- Aggregate: the total goals scored over both games.
- Cartaginés: a club from Cartago, Costa Rica, founded in 1906.
- Olimpia: a club from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, founded in 1912.
Form and Key Players
Cartaginés forward Geancarlo Castro has four goals in four matches in the tournament, according to Concacaf. Olimpia’s Jorge Benguché leads his side with three goals, and José Raúl García has two assists.
Olimpia coach Eduardo Espinel, from Uruguay, called Cartaginés the favourite at home and said Olimpia would be the favourite in Tegucigalpa. He added that his team had come to win and not to speculate, in a translation of his Spanish words.
What Comes Next
The second leg is on Wednesday 28 October at 9 p.m. in Honduras (11 p.m. ET) at the Estadio José de la Paz Herrera in Tegucigalpa, also known as Chelato Uclés. The other semifinal, between Motagua and Alajuelense, opens on Thursday 22 October in Tegucigalpa and ends on Thursday 29 October in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
The first leg is listed on ESPN and Disney+ in Central America, according to La Nación. Concacaf named Guatemala’s Bryan López as the referee.
What It Means for US Readers
Because the tie is decided on aggregate, Wednesday’s score will not settle the semifinal on its own. A narrow result either way leaves the second leg in Tegucigalpa open.
Readers in the United States should check local listings, as no US broadcast was confirmed. The match starts at 10:30 p.m. ET, and the second leg starts at 11 p.m. ET.
What Is Not Known
No result exists yet because the match has not been played. Starting line-ups, injuries and suspensions had not been confirmed at the time of writing.
Concacaf could still change the referee crew. We found no official statement on security arrangements or ticket sales.
Sources
Concacaf, semifinal schedule · Concacaf, match preview · La Nación · Fútbol Centroamérica · ESPN, 2025 quarterfinal
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is Cartaginés against Olimpia?
The first leg is on Wednesday 21 October at 10:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. local). It is played at the Estadio José Rafael “Fello” Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica.
Who has Olimpia already played in this tournament?
Olimpia beat Luis Ángel Firpo of El Salvador 6-0 on aggregate in the quarterfinals. It also beat Cartaginés 5-2 on aggregate in the 2025 quarterfinals.
When is the second leg?
The second leg is on Wednesday 28 October at 9 p.m. in Honduras (11 p.m. ET). It is played at the Estadio José de la Paz Herrera in Tegucigalpa.
Where can fans watch the match?
The first leg is listed on ESPN and Disney+ in Central America. No US broadcast was confirmed at the time of writing.
Who plays in the other semifinal?
Motagua of Honduras play Alajuelense of Costa Rica, with legs on 22 and 29 October. The two winners meet in the final.