Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica

The ground that stands in San José today is the second to carry the name. The first Estadio Nacional opened in 1924 and came down in 2008, and what replaced it did not come out of the national budget: the People's Republic of China paid for it, roughly US$110 million, and the Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group built it. The gift arrived complete. Costa Rica did not choose the contractor.

It opened on 26 March 2011, and three days later Argentina came for a friendly. No terracing, everyone sitting.

What the record books show, though, is that the biggest crowd the place has held was not there for football at all. Roger Waters drew 46,111 on 24 November 2018. Metallica had played in 2016; Bad Bunny came in 2022 and again in 2025, Karol G in 2024, with Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Shakira and Don Omar in between.

The national teams, men's and women's, are the tenants. Alajuelense, Saprissa and Herediano train and play elsewhere and come here as visitors — for finals, for the Superclásico, for continental club ties on neutral ground. CONCACAF brings Gold Cup fixtures through. Since 13 October 2025 the sponsorship name has been INS Estadio , after the Instituto Nacional de Seguros.