The Copa Centroamericana was a men's international football competition contested by member associations of the Unión Centroamericana de Fútbol (UNCAF). The tournament, organized by the football governing body in Central America, was founded in 1991 and held once every two years. Originally called the UNCAF Nations Cup, the name was altered to Copa Centroamericana in 2011.

Like all major competitions, the Copa Centroamerica had two stages; the group stage and the knockout stage. All seven countries on the continent were divided into two groups - one with four teams and the other with three. A win attracted three points while a point was awarded for a draw. The top two teams from each group progressed to the semi-finals and then winners of the semis ultimately competed in the ultimate final.

The losing teams in the last four stage subsequently featured in a third-place playoff while the two third-placed teams in the group stages contest for the fifth position. The fixture was relevant because it allowed UNCAF to find participants for other competitions such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the Copa América.

Prior to being absorbed in the CONCACAF Nations League in 2017, Costa Rica - who hosted the maiden edition of the Copa Centroamerica - ranked as the most successful team by winning eight of the 14 titles. Honduras won four while Panama and Guatemala secured one apiece.