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Panama Finalises Squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 Under Coach Thomas Christiansen

Arjun Pillai | May 28, 2026 12:38 PM CST

Panama are set to take part in only their second-ever FIFA World Cup, with the final 26-man squad now officially confirmed by head coach Thomas Christiansen.

The national team has finalised its squad list for the 2026 World Cup, marking another milestone in Panamanian football history.

This will be Panama’s second appearance at a World Cup, coming eight years after their debut in 2018. The qualification journey was impressive under Danish manager Thomas Christiansen, who guided the team to four victories from four matches in the opening CONCACAF group stage, followed by an unbeaten run in the next phase, ensuring early qualification.

During their qualifying campaign, Panama outperformed Suriname, Guatemala and El Salvador. They now join Haiti, Curacao and the three host nations in representing the CONCACAF region at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In their previous World Cup outing in 2018, Los Canaleros suffered defeats against Belgium, England and Tunisia in the group stage, but did manage to score their first two goals in World Cup history.

Despite a penalty shoot-out loss to Honduras in the Gold Cup, Panama remained unbeaten throughout their remaining 12 competitive matches in 2025. Their 14-match unbeaten streak came to an end in a friendly loss to Mexico in January 2026, but they bounced back with a draw and a win against South Africa in a two-match friendly series.

Panama will once again face England in the group stage this June, bringing a squad full of experienced players though not among the tournament favourites.

Captain Anibal Godoy, who has earned 159 international caps, leads the team. Veteran defender Eric Davis, aged 35, with more than 100 caps, is one of only two players in the squad currently playing in Panama. The rest of the team is made up of players active across the Americas and Spanish-speaking nations.

Goalkeepers:

• Luis Mejía (Nacional)

• César Samudio (Marathón)

• Orlando Mosquera (Al-Fayha)

Defenders:

• César Blackman (Slovan Bratislava)

• José Córdoba (Norwich City)

• Edgardo Fariña (FC Pari Nizhniy Novgorod)

• Roderick Miller (Turan Tovuz)

• Fidel Escobar (Saprissa)

• Jiovany Ramos (Puerto Cabello)

• Eric Davis (Plaza Amador)

• Andrés Andrade (LASK)

• Jorge Gutiérrez (Deportivo La Guaira)

• Amir Murillo (Beşiktaş)

Midfielders:

• Cristian Martínez (Ironi Kiryat Shmona)

• José Luis Rodríguez (Juárez)

• Adalberto Carrasquilla (UNAM)

• Yoel Bárcenas (Mazatlán)

• Carlos Harvey (Minnesota United)

• Aníbal Godoy (San Diego)

• César Yanis (Cobresal)

• Azarías Londoño (Universidad Católica de Chile)

• Alberto Quintero (CD Plaza Amador)

Forwards:

• Tomás Rodríguez (Deportivo Saprissa)

• Ismael Díaz (León)

• José Fajardo (Universidad Católica)

• Cecilio Waterman (Universidad de Concepción)

Upcoming Fixtures:

May 31, 2026: Brazil vs Panama, Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (friendly)

June 4, 2026: Panama vs Dominican Republic, Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama (friendly)

June 17, 2026: Ghana vs Panama, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada

June 23, 2026: Panama vs Croatia, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada

June 27, 2026: Panama vs England, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, United States