Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen has outlined the reasoning behind his side’s decision to face South Africa during the current international break, describing the encounter as a valuable opportunity to test his squad against African opposition ahead of their tie against the Black Stars of Ghana in the 2026 World Cup.
The Central American nation, under Christiansen’s guidance since 2020, is continuing its preparations for future competitions by broadening its experience against teams from different continents.
The upcoming matches mark Panama’s first fixtures on African soil, a milestone the coach believes will offer important tactical and developmental insights.
“The goal is to play against an African team,” Christiansen said, as per the Panamanian FA.
He emphasised that the choice of opponent was deliberate, pointing to similarities between South Africa and Ghana as part of the team’s preparation strategy.
“There are constant similarities with Ghana to what we will find with South Africa, and that was the objective,” he added.
Christiansen also highlighted the importance of using the matches to experiment with his squad, suggesting that flexibility and rotation would be key objectives during the fixtures.
“By playing two games against them, we can also change our ideas, positions, and players, and that’s what we want,” he said.
“It also gives us the possibility of rotating a bit and giving minutes to others who perhaps haven’t seen any playing time with the national team.”
The 53-year-old coach brings a wealth of playing experience to the role. Born in Denmark, he represented Spain at international level and enjoyed a successful club career, including finishing as the Bundesliga’s top scorer in the 2002/03 season while playing for VfL Bochum.
During his time in Germany, he played alongside South African winger Delron Buckley, with the pair featuring together in more than 50 matches.
Since taking charge of Panama, Christiansen has implemented a possession-based style of play, transforming the team into a more technically organised unit.
His tenure has seen the side deliver strong performances in regional competitions such as the CONCACAF Nations League and the Gold Cup.
The two sides have met once before, during the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
That encounter ended in a 1-1 draw, with South Africa eventually winning 5-3 in a penalty shootout.
South Africa’s coach Hugo Broos has openly welcomed Panama’s challenge in the lead up to the game.
Meanwhile, Panama’s Group L opponent at the 2026 World Cup, Ghana, have intensified preparations, ahead of two friendly ties against Austria and Germany on March 27.
Ghana and Panama will square off on June 17.
