2026 World Cup: We will put up a good performance against Ghana - Panama coach

Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen is looking forward to testing his team against England, Croatia, and Ghana at the 2026 World Cup this summer.

The Central American side secured its second-ever World Cup appearance, earning a spot in Group L of the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Christiansen, Panama’s longest-serving coach, expressed confidence that his squad can compete with some of the world’s strongest teams, drawing on experiences against top opposition in recent years.

"I’m trying to look at it as an “interesting” group [he laughs]. Over the last five years, we’ve managed to hold our own against the big boys, and we’re no longer outclassed by Canada, Mexico, and the USA," he said in an interview with FIFA.

"We’ve admittedly not beaten Mexico during my tenure, but we’re capable of getting the better of all three of them. We’ve come out on top against the USA several times, and we’d like to replicate that success against Ghana, Croatia, and England.

"We know they’re tricky customers, but we want to go toe to toe with them and put Panama on the map. We’re keen for our fans to feel proud of the team. Scoring a consolation goal should no longer be a reason for Panamanians to celebrate. It’s time for us to up our game."

Panama will open its World Cup campaign against Ghana before facing Croatia and England.