El Salvador and Guatemala are Central American football rivals who met twice in 2025 World Cup qualifying. El Salvador won the first meeting 1–0 in September, while Guatemala won the return match 1–0 in October. Guatemala leads the all-time series with 35 wins, El Salvador has 19, and 23 matches have ended in draws.
📌 Key Takeaways
▸ September 2025: El Salvador won 1–0 in Guatemala City
▸ October 2025: Guatemala won the rematch 1–0 in San Salvador
▸ All-time series: Guatemala leads with 35 wins to El Salvador’s 19, plus 23 draws
▸ World Cup qualifying: Both teams were eliminated before the final matchday
▸ Rivalry status: One of Central America’s oldest and most contested football rivalries
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Latest Results Between the Two Teams
El Salvador and Guatemala faced off twice during the Final Round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying in 2025. Each team won on the road, splitting the two meetings evenly on the scoreboard.
| Date | Match | Result | Venue |
| Sept 5, 2025 | Guatemala vs El Salvador | Guatemala 0–1 El Salvador | Estadio Cementos Progreso |
| Oct 15, 2025 | El Salvador vs Guatemala | El Salvador 0–1 Guatemala | Estadio Cuscatlán |
Both games were decided by a single goal, and both wins came away from home — a rare symmetry for a rivalry this old.
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September 2025: El Salvador Strikes First
El Salvador traveled to Guatemala City looking to open its qualifying campaign on a positive note.
It got exactly that. Harold Osorio scored the only goal of the match in the 79th minute, sending El Salvador home with a 1–0 win and a statement result against a longtime rival.
📌 The victory was significant for another reason: it snapped Guatemala’s home advantage in a match both sides treated as pivotal for their qualifying hopes.
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October 2025: Guatemala Answers Back
Five weeks later, Guatemala got its revenge on home ground — or rather, on El Salvador’s home ground.
The match at Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador, Guatemala, struck early through Óscar Santis, who scored in first-half stoppage time to give his side a 1–0 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
…… The result evened the season series between the two nations and kept Guatemala’s own qualifying hopes alive a little longer, while denying El Salvador back-to-back wins over its neighbor.
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All-Time Head-to-Head Record
This isn’t a new rivalry — El Salvador and Guatemala have been playing each other for decades, dating back well before either nation’s modern qualifying campaigns.
Overall series (after the October 2025 match):
▸ Guatemala: 35 wins
▸ El Salvador: 19 wins
▸ Draws: 23
▸ Total meetings: 77
In World Cup qualifying specifically:
▸ El Salvador: 4 wins
▸ Guatemala: 4 wins
▸ Draws: 3
▸ Total qualifying meetings: 11
Interestingly, while Guatemala holds a commanding lead in the all-time series overall, the two sides are dead even when it comes to World Cup qualifying matches specifically — a small but telling detail for anyone comparing the teams strictly in that context.
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What Happened Next in Qualifying
Neither result proved decisive enough to carry either team through to the World Cup.
▶ Group A in the Final Round of CONCACAF qualifying came down to a tight battle between Panama and Suriname, and both El Salvador and Guatemala fell out of contention before the group’s final matchday.
✔ El Salvador’s campaign:
El Salvador picked up an opening win over Guatemala but struggled after that, including a heavy 4–0 loss to Suriname that officially ended its qualifying hopes.
✔ Guatemala’s campaign:
Guatemala stayed competitive for longer, including its 1–0 win over El Salvador, but a dramatic 3–2 loss to Panama on Matchday 5 closed the door on its own World Cup dream.
By the time the final round of matches arrived, the Group A qualifying race was strictly between Panama and Suriname, with both Central American sides watching from the sidelines.
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Why This Rivalry Runs Deep
El Salvador and Guatemala have shared a border and a football history for generations, and their matches carry weight well beyond any single qualifying campaign. A few things make this rivalry distinct:
▸ Longevity: With 77 meetings on record, few Central American rivalries run this deep.
▸ Balance: Despite Guatemala’s historical edge, recent qualifying meetings have been split almost evenly.
▸ Stakes: Every meeting tends to double as a measuring stick for regional bragging rights, not just points in the standings.
▸ Atmosphere: Matches at Estadio Cuscatlán and Estadio Cementos Progreso are known for passionate, sold-out crowds on both sides.
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People Also Ask
Who won the last El Salvador vs Guatemala match?
💬 Guatemala won the most recent meeting 1–0, courtesy of a goal from Óscar Santis in San Salvador on October 15, 2025.
What is the head-to-head record between El Salvador and Guatemala?
💬 Guatemala leads the all-time series with 35 wins to El Salvador’s 19, along with 23 draws across 77 total meetings.
Did El Salvador or Guatemala qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
💬 No. Both teams were eliminated from Group A qualifying before the final matchday, which came down to Panama and Suriname.
How many times have El Salvador and Guatemala played each other in World Cup qualifying?
💬 They have met 11 times in World Cup qualifying, with the two sides tied at 4 wins apiece and 3 draws.
Where do El Salvador and Guatemala usually play their matches?
💬 Home matches are typically played at Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador and Estadio Cementos Progreso in Guatemala City.
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Final Words:
El Salvador and Guatemala split their two 2025 meetings evenly, each claiming a 1–0 win on the road. It was a fitting result for a rivalry built on close, hard-fought contests.
⟢ September 2025: El Salvador wins 1–0
⟢ October 2025: Guatemala wins 1–0
⟢ All-time series: Guatemala leads, 35–19–23
⟢ Qualifying outcome: Both teams eliminated
Neither side advanced toward the 2026 World Cup, but the rivalry itself remains as competitive as ever, and the next meeting will only add another chapter to one of Central America’s longest-running football stories.
I’m Dan Brown, author of thrilling novels that blend mystery, history, and hidden symbols. Through TheBiblimeaning, I share biblical meanings, spiritual insights, name interpretations, and faith-based knowledge to help readers explore deeper understanding. My goal is to make complex biblical concepts simple, engaging, and meaningful for everyone seeking wisdom and inspiration through scripture.
