Panama World Cup 2026 squad: Thomas Christiansen's final squad announced

Panama World Cup 2026 squad: Cecilio Waterman (L) celebrates with teammate Eric Davis after scoring his team's second goal during the Concacaf qualifier match between Guatemala and Panama. — Cecilio Waterman (L) celebrates with team-mate Eric Davis (R) (Image credit: JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

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The Panama World Cup 2026 squad has been finalised ahead of another major tournament.

World Cup 2026 is only the second time Panama have qualified, eight years after their maiden tournament. Their qualifying campaign was emphatic: Danish head coach Thomas Christiansen oversaw four wins from four in the first CONCACAF group stage and an unbeaten second group stage to qualify with room to spare.

Suriname, Guatemala and El Salvador all eventually fell by the wayside while Panama join Haiti, Curacao and the three co-hosts in representing their confederation at the World Cup.

Los Canaleros' only previous World Cup appearance resulted in three group stage defeats in 2018, when they lost to Belgium, England and Tunisia but scored their first two World Cup goals in the process.

Notwithstanding a penalty shoot-out defeat against Honduras at the Gold Cup, Panama were unbeaten in their last 12 matches of 2025, all of them competitive. January's friendly against Mexico served up their first loss in 14 games. They have since bounced back with a draw and a win against South Africa in a friendly double-header.

Panama will face group favourites England again in June with one of the lesser-fancied squads in the tournament, albeit one bursting with experience.

Captain Anibal Godoy has played for Panama 159 times. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Eric Davis, another 100-cap man, is one of just two members of Christiansen's squad who actually plays in Panama. The national team squad, as usual, is made up of players spread around the Americas and the Spanish-speaking world.

Squad

Panama World Cup 2026 squad: the final line-up

GK: Luis Mejía (Nacional)
GK: César Samudio (Marathón)
GK: Orlando Mosquera (Al-Fayha)
DF: César Blackman (Slovan Bratislava)
DF: José Córdoba (Norwich City)
DF: Edgardo Fariña (FC Pari Nizhniy Novgorod)
DF: Roderick Miller (Turan Tovuz)
DF: Fidel Escobar (Saprissa)
DF: Jiovany Ramos (Puerto Cabello)
DF: Eric Davis (Plaza Amador)
DF: Andrés Andrade (LASK)
DF: Jorge Gutiérrez (Deportivo La Guaira)
DF: Amir Murillo (Beşiktaş)
MF: Cristian Martínez (Ironi Kiryat Shmona)
MF: José Luis Rodríguez (Juárez)
MF: Adalberto Carrasquilla (UNAM)
MF: Yoel Bárcenas (Mazatlán)
MF: Carlos Harvey (Minnesota United)
MF: Aníbal Godoy (San Diego)
MF: César Yanis (Cobresal)
MF: Azarías Londoño (Universidad Católica de Chile)
MF: Alberto Quintero (CD Plaza Amador)
FW: Tomás Rodríguez (Deportivo Saprissa)
FW: Ismael Díaz (León)
FW: José Fajardo (Universidad Católica)
FW: Cecilio Waterman (Universidad de Concepción)

Fixtures

May 31, 2026: Brazil vs Panama, Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (friendly)
June 4, 2026: Panama vs Dominican Republic, Estadio Rommel Fernandez, 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

Group L standings

Panama are in Group L at World Cup 2026.

Manager

Who is Panama's manager?

Thomas Christiansen spent the first half of the nineties as a Barcelona player before moving around Spain and eventually playing in Greece, Denmark and Germany. His own international career comprised two caps in 1993 not for Denmark, but for Spain.

The Panama job is his first in international management. After cutting his teeth in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca and APOEL Nicosia, Christiansen had spells in charge of Leeds and Union Saint-Gilloise with limited success.

Panama, though, have gradually progressed on Christiansen’s watch. They should go into the World Cup in positive spirits helmed by the head coach with more internationals under his belt than any other in the federation’s history.

Star player

Who is Panama's star player?

Anibal Godoy of Panama during a CONCACAF Gold Cup Semi-Final game between Panama and USMNT at Snapdragon Stadium (Photo by Mike Janosz/USSF/Getty Images for USSF). — Anibal Godoy during the Gold Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)

With nearly 160 caps to his name, Anibal Godoy is Panama’s record appearance maker and Christiansen’s captain. The veteran midfielder has played the majority of his career in the United States, where he featured regularly in San Diego’s inaugural 2025 season.

Godoy played more than 100 times in Major League Soccer for each of San Jose Earthquakes and Nashville, spending five years with both clubs before the Tennessee outfit released him in 2024.

A tenacious and often stylish defensive midfielder, Godoy has spoken openly about a possible retirement. One last big hurrah in a nation where he is now a citizen would be a fine way to bow out.

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Chris is a Warwickshire-based freelance football writer specialising in West Midlands football, the Premier League, the EFL and the J.League. He is the author of the High Protein Beef Paste football newsletter and owner of Aston Villa Review. He supports Coventry Sphinx.

With contributions from

Jakob BarnesFreelance Writer