Panama's Dream Of Returning To The World Cup In 2026 -

(MENAFN- Newsroom Panama) The emotions they experience every four years will happen this year, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which Panama will make its second participation in history. Argentina will put its crown on the line at the event that will be held in three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Panamanians now have their future defined; they were placed in Group L of the tournament, and will debut on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at Toronto Stadium, in the city of Toronto, facing the Ghana national team at 6:00 pm.

Six days later, on Tuesday, June 23, the Panamanian team will return to action to face Croatia, again at Toronto Stadium, also at 6:00 pm. The group stage for the team led by coach Thomas Christiansen will conclude on Friday, June 27, when Panama faces England at New York New Jersey Stadium in New Jersey City at 4:00 pm. In the midst of their preparation, 'La Roja' already has two friendly matches to kick off the year. Panama will play next Sunday, January 18, when they face their Bolivian counterparts as visitors, at the IV Centenario Stadium, in the city of Tarija, Bolivia. And the other will be against Mexico, at the Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez stadium, on January 22.

Historical

The World Cup will be innovative; for the first time it will be organized by three countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada, in 16 host cities. The opening match, Mexico vs South Africa, will be played in the legendary Azteca stadium, which will become the first to host three World Cups, while the grand final will be played in the United States. The tournament expanded from 32 to 48 participating teams, divided into 12 groups of four teams each.

Format

The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams will advance to the next phase, leading to a round of 16. In total, 104 matches will be played, making it the longest tournament with the most matches in FIFA history.

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