Panama

Tournament History

Panama's World Cup history is brief but defined by breakthrough moments. For years, Panama was CONCACAF's nearly-men — close to qualifying for 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010 without quite making it. Repeated heartbreak in the CONCACAF Hexagonal — finishing behind regional powers like Mexico, the United States, and Costa Rica — defined an entire generation of fans who had grown up watching the World Cup only on television.

The 2018 Russia World Cup was Panama's first ever appearance. The tournament was difficult: a 1-0 loss to Belgium, a 1-6 defeat by England (Panama's first ever World Cup goal, scored by Felipe Baloy, was celebrated as if it were a winner despite the scoreline), and a 2-1 defeat by Tunisia sent Los Canaleros home without a point — but the squad received a heroes' welcome in Panama City. An estimated 30,000 fans lined the Cinta Costera to greet the team on their return.

The 2022 Qatar campaign showed real improvement. Panama finished bottom of their group, but produced the moment that transformed the national team's confidence: a victory over Saudi Arabia in their final group match — Panama's first ever World Cup win. The goal now is to build on that and push for the Round of 16.

Road to 2026

Panama secured their 2026 World Cup place via the CONCACAF qualification cycle, finishing inside the automatic qualification spots in the final group. The road was not straightforward — a late-season run of form was required, and Panama showed the resilience that has become a hallmark of Los Canaleros' recent campaigns. Coach and squad emphasised throughout the campaign that the 2026 target is the knockout stage — and that simply qualifying, as they did in 2018 and 2022, is no longer enough.

Drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia, and Ghana, Panama face three opponents who have all reached the latter stages of recent major tournaments. The opener against England — the side Panama drew 1-1 with in 2018 — will set the tone. A result against Ghana or Croatia would represent genuine progress on their 2022 performance. See the full Group L preview for the head-to-head breakdown and advancement odds.

2026 World Cup Prediction

Panama have established themselves as a CONCACAF regular but lack the quality to seriously challenge the world's top teams. Group stage is the realistic outcome for 2026. A Round of 16 would be a genuine achievement and a historic first. Drawn in Group L against England, Croatia, and Ghana, Panama are clear underdogs — but the 2022 win over Saudi Arabia showed they can compete when the moment arrives. A positive goal difference and a competitive showing against at least one of the top two would represent a successful tournament.

Want to track their path? View fixtures and follow standings. See the full Group L preview for head-to-head analysis and the latest predictions.

Group L Opponents — Head-to-Head

• vs England — Panama drew 1-1 with England in their 2018 World Cup debut (Baloy's historic goal). A repeat of that result would be celebrated as a famous result in Panama City.
• vs Croatia — No prior World Cup meetings. Croatia's midfield control will be a step up from anything Panama have faced at this level.
• vs Ghana — No prior World Cup meetings. Ghana's pace and physicality make this the most evenly-matched of Panama's three group games.