GUYANA’S senior men’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars, has commenced a crucial preparation camp in Costa Rica as they gear up for two pivotal fixtures in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign.

The team is set to face Nicaragua in an away match on June 6, followed by a ‘home’ encounter against Montserrat on June 10.

The match against Montserrat could be played in Barbados, based on recent patterns.

Currently based in Costa Rica, the Golden Jaguars have their full complement of players and technical staff on hand to conduct high-intensity training sessions.

The preparation camp, which began on Wednesday, has started positively, and is expected to continue efficiently until the team departs for Nicaragua on June 4.

In addition to rigorous training, the team is tentatively scheduled to play a friendly match against one of Costa Rica’s professional club sides.

Head Coach Wayne Dover has expressed optimism regarding the team’s readiness, and the benefits of the training environment in Costa Rica.

“The preparation camp will provide us with the ideal atmosphere to focus on the tactical and physical components necessary for success,” Dover stated. “The players are responding well, and we are confident in our ability to compete strongly in both upcoming fixtures.”

The Golden Jaguars are heading into a critical phase of their qualifying campaign. With two matches remaining in the second round of CONCACAF qualifiers, securing maximum points is essential if they hope to keep their dream alive of advancing to the final stage of the Confederation’s qualification process.

The team, led by head coach Wayne Dover, will travel to Managua to take on group leaders Nicaragua on Friday, June 6, at the Nicaragua National Football Stadium.

This Group ‘D’ clash is pivotal, as the Central Americans remain unbeaten, having comfortably dispatched Montserrat (4–1) and Belize (4–0).

Guyana, currently third in the group, began their campaign with a 2–0 defeat away to Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez in Panama City. Despite the loss, the team rebounded with a strong performance in their fixture against Belize, played at the Wildey Turf in Barbados.

Following the Nicaragua encounter, Guyana will return to face Montserrat on Monday, June 10.

Nothing short of six points from these two fixtures will be enough to challenge for one of the group’s top spots, realistically.

Only the group winners advance to the final round of Concacaf qualifiers, where they will join the three lowest-ranked teams from CONCACAF’S Nations League A and B champions, vying for three automatic spots at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

This edition of the tournament will be historic, as it expands to 48 teams, and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The final roster for the upcoming matches is expected to be announced in the coming days.