BY Issah Olegor
The head coach of the Panama national football team, Thomas Christiansen, has expressed optimism about his side’s chances at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying he is eager to test his team against football heavyweights including England, Croatia and the Ghana national football teams.
Panama secured qualification for their second-ever World Cup appearance, continuing a period of steady progress for the Central American nation in international football.
At the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the Canada, Mexico and the United States, the team has been drawn into a challenging group that features three experienced football nations.
Speaking in an interview with FIFA, Christiansen described the group as both demanding and exciting, insisting that Panama has developed the confidence to compete with some of the world’s top teams.
“I’m trying to look at it as an ‘interesting’ group,” the coach said. “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.”
Christiansen, who has become the longest-serving coach in Panama’s national team history, noted that his side has gained valuable experience from facing strong opponents in recent international competitions.
He highlighted Panama’s competitive record against the United States national football team in particular, where his team has managed several positive results during his tenure.
While acknowledging that his side has yet to defeat the Mexico national football team under his leadership, Christiansen maintained that Panama now possesses the quality and confidence required to challenge top-ranked teams on the global stage.
“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,” he said.
For Panama, the opening fixture of the World Cup will be a crucial test against Ghana. The match is expected to set the tone for the team’s campaign before they go on to face Croatia and England later in the group stage.
Christiansen stressed that his team’s ambition is no longer simply to participate but to compete seriously at the tournament.
“We know they’re tricky customers, but we want to go toe to toe with them and put Panama on the map,” he said. “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.”
The upcoming World Cup marks the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams, expanding opportunities for emerging football nations like Panama to challenge traditional powers
