World Cup 2026: Panama national team squad – Los Canaleros face uphill battle in challenging group
17 May 2026
Panama will arrive at the 2026 World Cup with realistic expectations but considerable ambition after securing qualification for only the second time in their history.
Los Canaleros earned their place at football’s biggest tournament through an impressive qualifying campaign in the CONCACAF region, yet a difficult group featuring England, Croatia and Ghana means progression to the knockout stages will be a significant challenge.
While Panama have continued to establish themselves as a competitive force in North and Central American football, many observers believe simply competing strongly against elite opposition would represent a successful tournament for Thomas Christiansen’s side.
Panama national team
- Nickname: Los Canaleros
- Coach: Thomas Christiansen
- Captain: Anibal Godoy
- FIFA Ranking (April 2026): 33
- World Cup appearances: 2
Qualifying round results
Panama booked their place at the 2026 World Cup after finishing top of Group A in the third round of CONCACAF qualifying.
The Central American nation collected 12 points from six matches to secure direct qualification for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Their successful campaign underlined the steady progress made by the national team in recent years and ensured they would return to the global stage eight years after their debut appearance.
Previous World Cup performance
The 2026 tournament will mark only Panama’s second appearance at a World Cup finals.
Their first experience came in Russia in 2018, where they were eliminated in the group stage after losing all three matches. Panama scored twice during the tournament but conceded 11 goals against more experienced opposition.
Despite the disappointing results, participation in Russia represented a landmark achievement for Panamanian football and provided valuable experience for the country’s development on the international stage.
Coach: Thomas Christiansen
Thomas Christiansen has overseen a period of stability since taking charge of the national team in 2020.
The former Spain international has built a side based on discipline, defensive organisation and tactical structure. Under his guidance, Panama have become a difficult team to break down and have consistently competed well in regional competitions.
The challenge at the World Cup, however, will be translating that approach against opponents with greater depth, quality and experience. Christiansen’s ability to maximise every resource available could prove crucial if Panama are to spring a surprise.
Star player: Adalberto Carrasquilla
Much of Panama’s creativity and composure comes from midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla.
The 27-year-old Pumas player has established himself as the team’s most influential performer, combining technical quality with leadership in midfield. His ability to dictate the tempo of matches and contribute in attacking situations makes him one of Panama’s most important assets.
Carrasquilla is often involved in the team’s best moments going forward and will be expected to play a central role if Panama are to challenge their more fancied opponents.
Predicted lineup
Panama are expected to rely on a compact and organised system designed to maximise defensive solidity while creating opportunities on the counter-attack.
World Cup 2026 group-stage fixtures
18 June: Ghana v Panama
24 June: Panama v Croatia
28 June: Panama v England
Head-to-head record against group rivals
v Ghana: Never met
v Croatia: Never met
v England: Played once, lost once
Championship odds
Panama: 1500/1
Panama head into the tournament as one of the outsiders for the title, but qualification alone represents another important milestone in the country’s footballing history.
Advancing from a group containing England, Croatia and Ghana would rank among the greatest achievements ever recorded by the national team. While expectations remain modest, Los Canaleros will hope to prove they are capable of much more than simply making up the numbers at the 2026 World Cup.


