Panama at the World Cup 2026 | Squad, Fixtures & Odds

World Cup 2026 group and fixtures

Panama are in Group L at World Cup 2026 alongside England, Croatia and Ghana. Two of Panama’s three group games are at BMO Field in Toronto — the Ghana opener on 17 June and the Croatia fixture on 23 June — before the closing match against England at MetLife Stadium. Christiansen needs at least four points to give Panama a serious shot at the round of 32 under the 48-team format.

Panama World Cup 2026 squad

The squad below reflects Christiansen’s selection across the November 2025 qualifying matches and the March 2026 friendlies in South Africa. Veteran Anibal Godoy returns to lead from defensive midfield, with Adalberto ‘Coco’ Carrasquilla, Yoel Bárcenas and Jose Fajardo the established attacking core. Final 26-man tournament squad to be confirmed in late May 2026.

Goalkeepers (provisional, as of March 2026)

Defenders (provisional, as of March 2026)

Midfielders (provisional, as of March 2026)

Forwards (provisional, as of March 2026)

How Panama will play

Christiansen has alternated between 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 across the qualifying campaign and is expected to start the tournament in the more compact 4-3-3 with Godoy screening behind Carrasquilla and Bárcenas. Murillo’s overlapping runs from right-back are the team’s most consistent attacking outlet; Diaz cuts inside off the left to feed Fajardo through the middle. Against superior opposition expect a deep mid-block and counter-attacks through Diaz and Rodriguez.

The defining strength is midfield control. Carrasquilla and Godoy gave Panama a senior, ball-retentive engine room throughout the qualifying campaign — Carrasquilla’s range of passing from deep and Godoy’s reading of the game have been the consistent thread. Murillo on overlap was the team’s most productive crosser; he topped Panama’s qualifying assist chart with three. Three points from Ghana on opening night looks within reach.

The weakness is centre-forward conversion and a thin defensive bench. Fajardo and Waterman led the line in qualifying but neither plays at a top European club; Panama scored 25 across 12 qualifying matches but missed multiple gilt-edged chances. Behind first-choice centre-backs Blackman and Andrade the experience drops off sharply, particularly if Davis or Murillo pick up tournament knocks against England.

Predicted XI (4-3-3)

Predicted starting XI — 4-3-3. Captain: Anibal Godoy.

Manager: Thomas Christiansen

Christiansen took the Panama job on 23 July 2020 and has now overseen two consecutive World Cup-cycle eras in Panama after also leading them to the 2023 Gold Cup final. The 52-year-old former Spain youth striker previously managed Cyprus, Leeds United and APOEL Nicosia, with a brief spell at Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise. His pragmatic, transition-led football has produced Panama’s most assured qualifying campaign — unbeaten across both CONCACAF rounds and a 3-2 away win in Guatemala that no Panama side had managed before.

Captain: Anibal Godoy

Godoy captains Panama from defensive midfield and is the country’s record cap-holder on around 160 caps. Now 36, the on-field general played most of his career in MLS — long stints at San Jose Earthquakes and Nashville before joining San Diego FC for their inaugural 2025 season. Christiansen’s leader on and off the pitch; expect rotation against the high-intensity Croatia and England fixtures if Panama need fresher legs.

Panama players to watch at World Cup 2026

Adalberto Carrasquilla — Central midfielder, UNAM Pumas

Nicknamed ‘Coco’, the 27-year-old Liga MX midfielder is the engine of this Panama side. Two-footed, comfortable progressing the ball under pressure, and the metronome around whom Christiansen builds. Has been linked with European moves on the back of his Concacaf form.

Michael Amir Murillo — Right-back, Marseille

Marseille right-back who topped Panama’s qualifying assist chart with three. Pace, athleticism and an attacking instinct that pins opponents back; the highest-profile name in the squad and the player most likely to manufacture a knockout-stage moment from open play.

Jose Fajardo — Striker, Universidad Catolica

Joint top scorer in CONCACAF qualifying with three goals — including the strike that beat El Salvador to clinch Panama’s World Cup berth. Industrious centre-forward whose hold-up play frees Carrasquilla and Bárcenas to break into the box. A name worth a hard look in the Golden Boot market at a triple-figure outsider’s price for the longshot Panama scenarios.

Jose Luis Rodriguez — Right winger, Anorthosis Famagusta

Cypriot-based winger who shared top scorer billing in qualifying with three goals. Direct, left-footed and the team’s chief one-on-one threat off the right; will look to test Croatia’s full-backs in particular if granted space in the second group game.

Anibal Godoy — Defensive midfielder / captain, San Diego FC

Panama’s record cap-holder on around 160 caps and the leader of the midfield. Now 36, his on-pitch experience compensates for declining mobility; expect Christiansen to rotate him out for the high-intensity Croatia and England fixtures if Panama need fresher legs.

How Panama qualified for World Cup 2026

Panama went unbeaten across both CONCACAF rounds — four wins from four in the first round (Group D, beating Guyana, Montserrat, Belize and Nicaragua) and a 3W-3D-0L Final Round Group A campaign that saw them top a group containing El Salvador, Guatemala and Suriname. Qualification was sealed on 18 November 2025 with a 3-0 home win over El Salvador.

The standout result was the 3-2 away win in Guatemala on 13 November 2025 — Panama’s first ever competitive win on Guatemalan soil and the result that effectively ended Guatemala’s qualifying hopes. Joint top scorers Jose Fajardo and Jose Luis Rodriguez registered three goals each across the qualifying campaign; Murillo led the assists with three.

Panama’s World Cup history

Panama qualified for their first World Cup at the eleventh attempt in 2018 — Roman Torres’ 88th-minute winner against Costa Rica in October 2017 sent them to Russia and prompted the Panamanian president to declare the next day a national holiday. The tournament itself was tough: defeats to Belgium (3-0), England (6-1) and Tunisia (2-1) made Panama the first nation since Serbia & Montenegro and Togo at the 2006 World Cup to lose all three opening fixtures.

The defining moment of that first World Cup was Felipe Baloy’s stoppage-time goal against England at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium — Panama’s first ever World Cup goal, bundled home from a Ricardo Avila free-kick. The celebration in front of the Panamanian fans was one of the tournament’s most uninhibited despite the heavy defeat. Panama then missed Qatar 2022 before earning this second appearance.

Panama’s recent form

Last five senior internationals (most recent first):

• 31 Mar 2026 — South Africa — 2-1 W — Friendly (Cape Town)
• 27 Mar 2026 — South Africa — 1-1 D — Friendly (Cape Town)
• 18 Nov 2025 — El Salvador — 3-0 W — WC qualifying (qualification sealed)
• 13 Nov 2025 — Guatemala — 3-2 W — WC qualifying (Guatemala City)
• 14 Oct 2025 — Suriname — 1-1 D — WC qualifying (Panama City)

The South Africa double-header in late March was Christiansen’s last competitive workout before the tournament squad announcement — three goals across the two matches, with Panama unbeaten in five and only losing once since June 2025 (a January friendly defeat to Mexico that featured rotated squads on both sides).

Panama World Cup 2026 odds

Panama are 250/1 with bet365 to win the tournament — long odds reflecting bookmaker scepticism about a CONCACAF outsider’s path to the final. The 11/5 to qualify from Group L is the most realistic market, given two relatively winnable openers against Ghana and Croatia before the England closer. Full pricing is in the World Cup winner odds hub.

Odds correct as of 5 May 2026 and subject to change. For the full World Cup 2026 outright market, group winners and golden-boot specials, see our World Cup 2026 betting hub.

Head-to-head record

Panama vs England

One previous senior meeting: England 6-1 Panama at the 2018 World Cup group stage in Nizhny Novgorod. Harry Kane scored a hat-trick; Felipe Baloy got Panama’s first ever World Cup goal in stoppage time. The MetLife rematch on 27 June will be Panama’s chance to end the 2018 group-stage demolition narrative.

Panama vs Croatia

No senior meetings between the two sides on record. The BMO Field fixture on 23 June will be the first.

Panama vs Ghana

Two previous senior friendlies; one win apiece, both single-goal margins. The most recent was a 2-1 Ghana win in a January 2014 friendly in Florida; before that, Panama beat Ghana 1-0 in a 2007 friendly at Citi Field, New York. The Toronto opener on 17 June will be the first competitive meeting.

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