History of El Salvador national football team in Timeline
The El Salvador national football team represents El Salvador in international men's soccer. Governed by the Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol, founded in 1935, the team became a FIFA affiliate in 1938 and a founding member of CONCACAF in 1961. Regionally, they are affiliated with UNCAF. Historically, they were members of CCCF (1938-1961) and PFC (1946-1961), organizations which preceded CONCACAF.
2 hours ago : El Salvador faces Martinique in CONCACAF Series Match: Live score updates.
El Salvador national football team played against Martinique in the CONCACAF Series match. The game featured live score updates. The series is part of the 2026 qualifiers.
September 1921: Independence Centenary Games
In September 1921, El Salvador was invited to Guatemala to participate in the Independence Centenary Games. In their first match, El Salvador lost 7-0 to Costa Rica.
1921: Creation of the national team
The El Salvador national football team was created in 1921.
December 1928: First Win
On 7 December 1928, El Salvador recorded their first ever win, 5–0 over Honduras, with Gustavo "Taviche" Marroquín scoring every goal. The game was played at Campo Marte, San Salvador, and was also the first time the team had scored in an international match.
1928: Campo Marte stadium was used
The Campo Marte stadium, now known as Parque Infantil, was used by El Salvador between 1928 and 1934.
1930: Mark Scott Thompson appointed as El Salvador's first ever manager
From 1930 to 1935, Mark Scott Thompson was appointed as El Salvador's first ever manager.
1930: Mark Scott Thompson appointed as coach
In 1930, El Salvador appointed their first official national coach, the American Mark Scott Thompson, in preparation for the 1930 Central American and Caribbean Games in Havana. El Salvador finished in fourth place at the games.
April 1932: Opening of Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca
On April 1932, the Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca, now known as Estadio Jorge "Mágico" González, was opened during the presidency of Maximiliano Hernández Martínez in preparation for the 1935 Central American and Caribbean Games.
1934: Campo Marte stadium was used
The Campo Marte stadium, now known as Parque Infantil, was used by El Salvador between 1928 and 1934.
March 1935: First game at Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca
On 24 March 1935, El Salvador played its first game at the Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca against Cuba, winning 4–1.
1935: Mark Scott Thompson appointed as El Salvador's first ever manager
From 1930 to 1935, Mark Scott Thompson was appointed as El Salvador's first ever manager.
1935: Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol founded
In 1935, the Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol (English: Salvadoran Football Federation) was founded. The federation governs men's international football in El Salvador.
1935: Salvadoran Football Federation founded
In 1935, the Salvadoran Football Federation was founded. By this time, El Salvador were coached by the Spaniard, Pablo Ferre Elías.
1938: Affiliate member of FIFA
In 1938, the El Salvador national football team became an affiliate member of FIFA.
April 1940: First National Football Federation Approved
On 26 April 1940, the first national football federation was approved, with Dr. Luis Rivas Palacios as president.
1941: Runners-up in the CCCF Championship
In 1941, El Salvador competed in the first Central American and Caribbean Championship (CCCF) in Costa Rica, finishing as runners-up.
1943: CCCF Championship Win
In 1943, El Salvador won the CCCF Championship, held in San Salvador, securing their first international title. The team's 10–1 win over Nicaragua set a record for most goals scored in a single game.
1943: Titles won by Salvadoran born managers
It is reported that all 3 titles (1943, 1954 and 2002) have been won by Salvadoran born managers.
1946: Third Place in CCCF Championship
In 1946, El Salvador defended their title in the CCCF Championship in Costa Rica and finished in third place.
1946: Member of PFC
In 1946, the El Salvador national football team became a member of PFC, the former unified confederation of the Americas.
1948: Fifth Place in CCCF Championship
In 1948, during the CCCF Championship hosted in Guatemala, El Salvador finished in fifth place.
1950: Fifth place in Central American and Caribbean Games
In 1950, El Salvador recorded two wins, one draw and one loss in the group stage of the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mexico. They finished in fifth place.
1953: Fifth place in CCCF Championship
In 1953, El Salvador finished in fifth place in the CCCF Championship.
1954: Did not participate in World Cup qualification
El Salvador did not participate in qualification for the World Cup in 1954.
1954: Won gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games
In 1954, El Salvador won a gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games.
1954: Second International Title
In 1954, El Salvador won their second international title at the Central American and Caribbean Games.
1954: Titles won by Salvadoran born managers
It is reported that all 3 titles (1943, 1954 and 2002) have been won by Salvadoran born managers.
1955: Fourth Place in CCCF Championship
In 1955, El Salvador finished fourth in the CCCF Championship, hosted in Honduras.
1957: Did not participate in CCCF Championships
El Salvador did not participate in the 1957 CCCF Championships.
1958: Did not participate in World Cup qualification
El Salvador did not participate in qualification for the World Cup in 1958.
1960: Did not participate in CCCF Championships
El Salvador did not participate in the 1960 CCCF Championships.
1961: Second Place in CCCF Championship
In 1961, El Salvador returned to participate in the CCCF Championship, finishing in second place.
1961: Affiliate member of CONCACAF
In 1961, the El Salvador national football team became a founding affiliate member of CONCACAF.
1961: Friendly match against NK Istra 1961
On July 2, 1961, La Selecta faced off against NK Istra 1961 to a 2–1 defeat.
1962: Did not participate in World Cup qualification
El Salvador did not participate in qualification for the World Cup in 1962.
1963: Runners-up in the CONCACAF Championship
In 1963, El Salvador finished as runners-up in the CONCACAF Championship.
1964: Hernán Carrasco Vivanco became the coach
In 1964, Hernán Carrasco Vivanco became the coach of the national team.
1965: Fourth place in CONCACAF Championship
In 1965, El Salvador finished in fourth place at the CONCACAF Championship, hosted in Guatemala.
1966: Did not participate in World Cup qualification
El Salvador did not participate in qualification for the World Cup in 1966.
1966: Fourth Place in Central American and Caribbean Games
In 1966, El Salvador finished in fourth place at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico.
1968: Participated in the Olympic Games
In 1968, El Salvador participated in the Olympic Games for the first time.
1968: Qualified for Olympic Games
In 1968, El Salvador qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time.
June 1969: World Cup Qualifier against Honduras
On June 8, 1969, El Salvador lost the first game of the World Cup qualifying play-off against Honduras 1-0 in Tegucigalpa, which was followed by crowd violence. A play-off match took place in Mexico City on 26 June, which El Salvador won 3–2 after extra time.
1969: EDESSA proposes new national stadium
In 1969, EDESSA (Estadios Deportivos de El Salvador Sociedad Anónima) proposed the idea of a new national stadium, leading to the construction of the Estadio Cuscatlán.
1970: World Cup Qualification
El Salvador played at the Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca during qualification for the 1970 World Cup.
1970: Qualified for the 1970 World Cup
El Salvador qualified for the 1970 World Cup after winning a play-off match against Honduras.
1970: Mauricio Rodríguez participated at the 1970 FIFA World Cup.
Mauricio Rodríguez managed to qualify El Salvador to another World Cup. Rodríguez participated at the 1970 FIFA World Cup.
March 1971: Groundbreaking for Estadio Cuscatlán
On 24 March 1971, the president of El Salvador, General Fidel Sánchez Hernández, broke ground for the construction of the Estadio Cuscatlán.
1971: Advanced from first round of CONCACAF Championship qualification
El Salvador advanced from the first round of 1971 CONCACAF Championship qualification by beating Nicaragua 4–2 on aggregate.
1973: Participated in CONCACAF Championship qualification
In 1973, the national team took part in the CONCACAF Championship qualification, which doubled as qualification for the 1974 World Cup, but they did not advance to the final stage after they were eliminated by Guatemala 2–0 on aggregate (1–0, 1–0).
1974: Did not advance to final stage of CONCACAF
In 1974, El Salvador did not advance to the final stage of CONCACAF Championship qualification.
1974: Borussia Mönchengladbach 1974 World Cup Winning Squad
The Borussia Mönchengladbach squad featured players from their 1974 World Cup winning squad, including Berti Vogts, Rainer Bonhof, Wolfgang Kleff and Jupp Heynckes, alongside Allan Simonsen, who later won the 1977 Ballon d'Or and joined Barcelona.
1975: Participated at the Pan American Games
El Salvador participated at the Pan American Games for the first time in 1975 in Mexico. They finished in third place in Group D and failed to advance to the next round.
July 1976: First game at Estadio Cuscatlán
On 24 July 1976, the Estadio Cuscatlán held its first game, a friendly between El Salvador and the German Bundesliga champions, Borussia Mönchengladbach, which resulted in a 2–0 victory for the German side.
1976: First game at Estadio Cuscatlán
In 1976, the Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador hosted its first game as El Salvador's national stadium.
1977: Qualified for final tournament
In 1977, El Salvador finished second in their group, behind Guatemala and ahead of Costa Rica and Panama, to qualify for the final tournament.
1977: Allan Simonsen won the 1977 Ballon d'Or
The Borussia Mönchengladbach squad featured players from their 1974 World Cup winning squad, including Berti Vogts, Rainer Bonhof, Wolfgang Kleff and Jupp Heynckes, alongside Allan Simonsen, who later won the 1977 Ballon d'Or and joined Barcelona.
May 1978: Lease agreement for Estadio Cuscatlán
On 25 May 1978, EDESSA agreed to sign a 99-year lease of the Estadio Cuscatlán to CLIMA to operate and control events held there.
1978: Participated in the Central American and Caribbean Games
El Salvador participated in the 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games, hosted in Colombia, and finished ninth.
1981: Runners-up in the CONCACAF Championship
In 1981, El Salvador finished as runners-up in the CONCACAF Championship for the second time.
1982: Closest to qualifying since 1982
El Salvador's 1998 World Cup qualification was the closest they had come to qualifying for a World Cup since 1982.
1982: World Cup Qualification
In 1982, El Salvador participated in World Cup qualification, with the finals doubling up as World Cup qualification. El Salvador qualified for the World Cup for the second time.
1982: Qualified for FIFA World Cup
In 1982, El Salvador qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the second time.
1985: CONCACAF Championship Qualification
In 1985, El Salvador beat Puerto Rico 8–0 on aggregate to qualify for the CONCACAF Championship final tournament, but finished second in their group behind Honduras.
1989: CONCACAF Championship Qualification
In 1989, El Salvador eliminated the Netherlands Antilles 6–0 on aggregate in CONCACAF Championship qualification but finished last in the final tournament.
January 1991: CONCACAF Congress held in Guatemala
On January 26, 1991, at a CONCACAF congress held in Guatemala, the UNCAF Nations Cup was conceived for Central American teams. The tournament also doubled as qualification for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. El Salvador defeated Nicaragua 5–2 on aggregate to advance to the final tournament but finished in last place, failing to advance to the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
1993: UNCAF Nations Cup and Gold Cup Qualification
In 1993, the UNCAF Nations Cup served as qualification for the 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup. El Salvador, coached by Jorge Vieira, advanced to the final tournament automatically. There, they finished last and failed to advance to the Gold Cup.
1994: 1994 World Cup qualification
In 1994, El Salvador eliminated Nicaragua 10–1 on aggregate in the first round of World Cup qualification. They finished first in a group composed of Bermuda, Canada, and Jamaica in the second round. In the third round, they finished third in the group and were eliminated.
1995: El Salvador Hosts 1995 UNCAF Nations Cup
In 1995, El Salvador hosted the UNCAF Nations Cup. They topped their first-round group and lost to Guatemala in the knockout round. They won the third-place match against Costa Rica and advanced to the 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
1996: El Salvador at the 1996 Gold Cup
In 1996, at the finals of the Gold Cup, El Salvador defeated Trinidad and Tobago 3–2, with goals from Raúl Díaz Arce (2) and Ronald Cerritos. They then lost to the United States and did not advance from the first round.
1997: 1997 UNCAF Nations Cup
In 1997, at the UNCAF Nations Cup, El Salvador lost to Honduras but defeated Panama. They finished third in the second group stage and advanced to the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
1998: 1998 World Cup qualification
In 1998, El Salvador finished second in their group behind Canada and advanced to the six-team final round of World Cup qualification, eventually finishing in fifth place.
1998: 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup
In 1998, El Salvador, coached by Kiril Dojcinovski, participated in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, drawing with Guatemala and losing to Brazil and Jamaica in the group stage.
1999: 1999 UNCAF Nations Cup
In 1999, at the UNCAF Nations Cup, El Salvador drew with Guatemala and defeated Nicaragua in the first round. In the second group stage, they finished bottom of the group and failed to advance to the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
November 2000: One-off game at Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca
On 15 November 2000, a one-off game was played at the Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca, to commemorate a major refurbishment, against Jamaica in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.
2000: Failed to advance to the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup
After finishing at the bottom of their group at the 1999 UNCAF Nations Cup, El Salvador failed to advance to the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
2001: 2001 UNCAF Nations Cup
In 2001, at the UNCAF Nations Cup in Honduras, El Salvador topped their first-round group. They drew all their games in the final round to finish third and advance to the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
2002: 2002 World Cup qualification
In 2002, El Salvador topped a first round group in World Cup qualification, but finished third in the second round and were eliminated.
2002: 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
In 2002, El Salvador, coached by Carlos Recinos, lost their first match in the Gold Cup but defeated Guatemala. This allowed them to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time, but they lost to the United States.
2002: Titles won by Salvadoran born managers
It is reported that all 3 titles (1943, 1954 and 2002) have been won by Salvadoran born managers.
2002: 2002 World Cup qualifier against Jamaica
On 15 November 2000, a one-off game was played at the Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca, to commemorate a major refurbishment, against Jamaica in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.
2003: Last Time El Salvador Reached Knockout Stage Before 2011
At the Gold Cup of 2011, El Salvador reached the knockout stage for the first time since 2003.
2003: 2003 UNCAF Nations Cup and Gold Cup Qualification
In 2003, at the UNCAF Nations Cup in Panama, El Salvador finished third again and qualified for the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup. At the Gold Cup, they were beaten 5–2 by Costa Rica in the quarter-finals.
2005: 2005 UNCAF Nations Cup
In 2005, El Salvador went out in the first round of the UNCAF Nations Cup, which meant they also failed to qualify for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
2006: 2006 World Cup qualification
In 2006, El Salvador finished last in their group in the third round of World Cup qualification, with just four points from six games.
June 2007: El Salvador vs Hungary Friendly Match
On June 16, 2007, El Salvador played a friendly match against Hungary at the Estadio Cuscatlán, a repeat of their 1982 World Cup match. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.
2007: 2007 UNCAF Nations Cup and Gold Cup Qualification
In 2007, El Salvador hosted the UNCAF Nations Cup, finishing fourth and qualifying for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. They exited the Gold Cup after losing two of their three matches.
2008: Partnership with Mitre
In 2008, El Salvador announced a new partnership with Mitre to supply the national football team with kits, training, and bench wear.
February 11, 2009: Mitre kit showcase
On February 11, 2009, El Salvador showcased their new Mitre kit as they started their FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign against Trinidad & Tobago in the CONCACAF Hexagonal Cup.
August 2009: Statutes Ratified by FESFUT
In August 2009, the statutes ratified by the FESFUT general assembly were not entered in the country's official register, contributing to the government interference that led to FIFA suspension in May 2010.
2009: New Kit Logo Introduced
In 2009 a new logo that replaced the typical logo of an "E" and an "S" surrounded by a circle was introduced. The first home and away kit made by Mitre feature a watermark of the country's national shield on the center of the shirt and some horizontal stripes along the kit.
2009: 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup and Gold Cup
In 2009, at the UNCAF Nations Cup in Honduras, El Salvador finished second in their group. Their semi-final against Costa Rica was called off after El Salvador were reduced to six players. They were eliminated in the group stage of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
May 2010: FIFA Suspends Salvadoran Football Federation
On May 11, 2010, FIFA suspended the Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT) due to government interference. The suspension was lifted by May 28. El Salvador's under-21 team qualified for the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC). However, CONCACAF decided to suspend football at the 2010 CAC shortly after.
August 2010: End of partnership with Mitre
The partnership between El Salvador and Mitre, which involved Mitre supplying the national team with kits and wear, lasted until August 2010.
October 2010: Contract extension with Mitre
On 22 October 2010, the FESFUT extended the contract with Mitre by four years to continue supplying the El Salvador national team's kits.
2010: 2010 World Cup qualification
In 2010, El Salvador advanced to the Hexagonal round of World Cup qualification but finished in fifth place and were eliminated. Rudis Corrales was their top scorer in qualification with 8 goals.
2011: 2011 Copa Centroamericana
In 2011, at the Copa Centroamericana, El Salvador qualified from their first-round group in second place. They lost in the semi-finals and in a penalty shootout for third place, qualifying for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Rafael Burgos jointly received the Golden Boot with three goals.
January 2012: 60 managers in the national team
As of January 2012, the El Salvador national football team has had 60 managers.
November 2012: Juan de Dios Castillo Sacked
In November 2012, Juan de Dios Castillo was sacked as coach and replaced by Agustín Castillo on December 17.
2012: El Salvador to participate in the qualifying tournament for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
In May 2010, the FIFA suspension was lifted allowing El Salvador to participate in the qualifying tournament for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
September 2013: Lifetime bans for match-fixing
In September 2013, fourteen players from the El Salvador national team were handed lifetime bans from football due to accusations of intentionally losing matches in exchange for monetary rewards. Carlos Monteagudo received a ban of 18 months. Eliseo Quintanilla and Víctor Turcios received six-month bans. Alexander Escobar, Christian Sánchez, and under-20 goalkeeper Yimmy Cuellar received bans of 30 days. After a further 20-day investigation, Rodrigo Martínez was sentenced to a ban of five years, Rodolfo Zelaya to a ban of one year, and Benji Villalobos to a ban of six months.
2014: 2014 World Cup qualification
In 2014, El Salvador won all six matches in the second round of World Cup qualification, securing a perfect record.
September 2016: Team rejects match-fixing offer
On 6 September 2016, the El Salvador team revealed that they had turned down an offer to ensure that their result against Canada saw Honduras progress to the next round of World Cup qualification. Their coach Ramon Maradiaga was later fined 20,000 Swiss francs and banned from football for two years for not disclosing the approach.
June 2017: Umbro becomes new kit supplier
On 15 June 2017, Umbro became the new kit supplier of the El Salvador national football team, replacing Mitre, and the first Umbro El Salvador football kits were released and debuted in the 2017 Gold Cup.
2017: Kit sponsorship contract with Umbro
In 2017, the El Salvador national team secured a kit sponsorship contract with Umbro, a supplier based in England.
December 2020: Friendly match against the US
In December 2020, El Salvador played a friendly match against the US after COVID-19 restrictions had loosened, but they lost 6–0.
March 2021: 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches
In March 2021, El Salvador played against Grenada and Montserrat as part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. They won against Grenada 2–0 at home and tied with Montserrat 1–1. Following these matches, Carlos de los Cobos was sacked and Hugo Pérez was hired as the new coach.
2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
El Salvador played qualification matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which led to changes in coaching and team composition during that period.
2022: El Salvador hasn't won a match since 2022 against Grenada
El Salvador won a match against Saint Vincent and The Grenadines away in a 1–3 result on June 9, 2026. It was a significant breakthrough as El Salvador has never won a match since 2022 against Grenada.
January 2, 2024: David Dóniga takes over as coach
On January 2, 2024, David Dóniga replaced Rubén de la Barrera as the coach of the El Salvador national team after Barrera's departure after 3 months.
January 2024: Friendly match against Inter Miami CF
In January 2024, El Salvador played a friendly match against Inter Miami CF, which featured Lionel Messi, at Estadio Cuscatlán. The match ended in a 0–0 draw.
February 2025: As of February 2025
As of February 2025, this entry provides a snapshot of the state of affairs for El Salvador's national football team.
February 24, 2025: David Doniga relinquishes position as head coach
On February 24, 2025, David Doniga relinquished his position as head coach for the El Salvador national team.
February 25, 2025: Hernán Darío Gómez proclaimed as new head coach
On February 25, 2025, INDES and FESFUT officially proclaimed Hernán Darío Gómez as the new head coach of the El Salvador national team.
November 2025: Caps and goals statistics
Caps and goals statistics as of 19 November 2025, after the match against Panama.
November 2025: Squad named for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches
In November 2025, the El Salvador national team's squad was named for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Suriname and Panama.
2025: World Cup Qualifiers
From September to November of 2025, El Salvador participated in the final round of World Cup qualifiers, managing to defeat Guatemala away in their first fixture but failing to secure any meaningful results afterwards; losing the rest of their 5 games (home and away) to Suriname, Panama, and Guatemala. El Salvador concluded their campaign with only three points and finishing last in their group.
June 6, 2026: 2026 World Cup qualifier against Puerto Rico
On June 6, 2026, El Salvador commenced their 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the CONCACAF region, facing Puerto Rico in a match that ended in a 0–0 draw.
2026: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches
In November 2025, the El Salvador national team's squad was named for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Suriname and Panama.
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