It's Vinicius Junior's time to shine.
With Neymar out of the 2024 Copa America with injury, it's Vinicius' chance to make a name for himself with Brazil's national team. the Real Madrid superstar. can start the tournament with a bang on Monday, June 24 as Brazil takes on Costa Rica at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
For fans who haven't watch Brazil since the 2022 World Cup, there are a few changes. Casemiro and Richarlison have been left out of the squad, Thiago Silva has retired from international football and Brazil is almost playing with a false nine as Rodrygo has started matches up top before floating out wide or into midfield.
Costa Rica are going through a generational change, with the majority of the team that qualified for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups out of the team. There are still a few returnees, including former Arsenal winger Joel Campbell, but losing goalkeeper and captain Kaylor Navas before the tournament to international retirement was a big blow.
It's a chance for a new generation of stars to make a name for themselves, with teenagers Josimar Alcocer and Warren Madrigal ones to watch.
MORE: Who will win the Copa America Golden Boot?
Brazil vs. Costa Rica live stream, TV channel
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | Fox Sports 1, UniMas, TUDN | Fubo, Fox Sports App, ViX |
| Canada | TSN, RDS 2 | TSN+, RDS App |
| UK | Premier Sports 1 | Premier Sports Player |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| India | — | FanCode |
USA: Brazil vs. Costa Rica from SoFi Stadium will be televised in the United States on Fox Sports 1, with a Spanish-language broadcast via UniMas and TUDN. All three channels are available to stream on Fubo, with the latter offering a FREE seven-day trial.
UK: Monday's match will be shown in the UK on Premier Sport Player's platforms.
Canada: All Copa America matches can be seen in Canada on TSN's respective TV channel and live streaming services.
Australia: Australia's sole broadcaster for the Copa America is Optus Sport.
India: All Copa America matches are available to stream on FanCode.
If Brazil vs. Costa Rica is not available to watch live in your location, or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs offer a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
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What time is Brazil vs. Costa Rica kickoff?
This Copa America match kicks off from SoFi Stadium on Monday, June 24 at 6:00 p.m. PT in Los Angeles, Calif.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA/Canada | Mon, Jun. 24 | 9 p.m. ET |
| USA/Canada | Mon, Jun. 24 | 6 p.m. PT |
| UK | Tue, Jun. 25 | 2 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Tue, Jun. 25 | 11 a.m. AEST |
| India | Tue, Jun. 25 | 6:30 a.m. IST |
Brazil vs. Costa Rica lineups & team news
The big absentee for Brazil at this tournament is Neymar, who has not recovered sufficiently from an ACL injury. However, they will also be missing experienced midfielder Casemiro, who was overlooked for the squad, and goalkeeper Ederson, who sustained a fractured eye socket in Manchester City's win over Tottenham last month.
Dorival Jr. favored a 4-3-3 formation in the March friendlies against England and Spain, so it seems likely he will persist with that system.
Teen sensation Endrick is poised to start on the bench, with Barcelona winger Raphinha completing the front three, while Wolves' Joao Gomes could be a surprise starter ahead of Douglas Luiz and Atalanta's Ederson in midfield.
Brazil projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Danilo, Marquinhos, Militao, Wendell — Joao Gomes, Bruno Guimaraes, Lucas Paqueta — Raphinha, Rodrygo, Vinicius
Gustavo Alfaro, on the other hand, is likely to take a defensive approach against the South American giants and could set up his team in a conservative 4-3-2-1 formation.
Costa Rica projected starting lineup (4-4-2): Sequeira; Cascante, Vargas, Calvo; Quiros, Galo, Aguilera, Mora; Campbell, Zamora; Contre.
Brazil vs Costa Rica prediction
- Score prediction: Brazil 2-0 Costa Rica
With a new coach and some veterans left behind (Neymar, Casemiro, Ederson), it's time for Brazil's next crop of stars to step up and prove it in a major international competition. Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo have won multiple titles for Real Madrid, but now it's their chance to show it in the yellow and green of Brazil.
We saw Vinicius Jr. in great form in Brazil's June international friendlies, and there's no reason to think it won't continue here. Facing a Costa Rica team in transition, Brazil should be able to easily take care of business as it opens the Copa America campaign.