Head coach Thomas Christiansen says Panama national football team are excited about the challenge of facing Ghana national football team, England national football team, and Croatia national football team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Central American nation has secured only its second appearance at the global tournament and has been drawn in Group L alongside the three football heavyweights. The competition will be jointly hosted by United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Christiansen, who has become Panama’s longest-serving national team coach, believes his side is better prepared than ever to compete with elite opposition, pointing to their improved performances against top teams in the CONCACAF region over the past five years.
Speaking in an interview with FIFA, the Spanish-Danish tactician admitted the group will be demanding but insisted his team is ready for the challenge.
“I’m trying to look at it as an interesting group,” he said with a laugh. “Over the last five years we’ve shown that we can hold our own against the big teams, and we are no longer outclassed by Canada, Mexico, and the USA.”
Christiansen acknowledged that Panama have not yet managed to defeat Mexico during his tenure but highlighted victories over the United States as proof of the team’s progress.
“We’ve beaten the USA several times, and we want to replicate that kind of success against teams like Ghana, Croatia, and England,” he added.
Despite recognising the strength of their opponents, the Panama coach stressed that his players are determined to compete fearlessly and make their supporters proud on the world stage.
“We know they are difficult teams, but we want to go toe-to-toe with them and show what Panama can do. Our aim is to make our fans proud. Scoring a consolation goal should no longer be something we celebrate—it’s time for us to raise our level.”
Panama will begin their World Cup campaign with a Group L opener against Ghana before taking on Croatia and England in their remaining fixtures.
