Panama’s official 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is managed by Spanish tactician Thomas Christiansen. The squad blends seasoned veterans from their 2018 appearance with emerging talents and is headlined by standout midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla. Because many of their key veterans—such as Captain Aníbal Godoy and Eric Davis—crossed the 100-cap milestone, the roster leans heavily on the experienced core that played in Panama's first-ever World Cup debut in 2018. The squad was drawn into Group L and prepared to face Ghana, England, and Croatia in the opening round.
🇵🇦 ¡PANAMÁ OFICIALIZÓ SUS CONVOCADOS PARA EL MUNDIAL! Thomas Christiansen anunció los 26 futbolistas que representarán al país en su segunda Copa del Mundo. Un equipo que ha logrado afianzarse en CONCACAF en el último tiempo. ¿Alcanzará para hacer un buen Mundial? Repasemos. pic.twitter.com/lTWjlv6kVa
— Nahuel Lanzón (@nahuelzn) May 26, 2026
Relying on the defensive foundations that led to six clean sheets during CONCACAF qualification, the team aims to frustrate high-profile opponents in Group L. Christiansen generally deploys a dynamic 3-4-3 or 4-5-1 formation. He emphasises positional play, building from the back, and attacking from the flanks, maintaining high defensive intensity out of possession. The team's undisputed core and playmakers are captain Aníbal Godoy and Adalberto Carrasquilla. Strikers José Fajardo and Cecilio Waterman serve as the main attacking threats, combining for multiple goals during the final qualifying rounds. The backline heavily relies on Fidel Escobar and Andrés Andrade to organise the defensive line
Panama did not qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. They finished fifth in the final round of the CONCACAF qualifying tournament, missing out on both an automatic qualification spot and the inter-confederation play-off.
Panama Squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup
Goalkeepers: Orlando Mosquera (Al-Fayha FC), Luis Mejía (Club Nacional), César Samudio (CD Marathon)
Defenders: César Blackman (Slovan Bratislava), Jorge Gutiérrez (Deportivo La Guaira), Amir Murillo (Besiktas), Fidel Escobar (Deportivo Saprissa), Andrés Andrade (LASK), Edgardo Fariña (FC Pari Nizhniy Novgorod), José Córdoba (Norwich City), Eric Davis (CD Plaza Amador), Jiovani Ramos (Academia Puerto Cabello), Roderick Miller (Turan Tovuz)
Midfielders: Aníbal Godoy (San Diego FC), Adalberto Carrasquilla (UNAM Pumas), Carlos Harvey (Minnesota United FC), Cristian Martínez (Ironi Kiryat Shmona), José Luis Rodríguez (FC Juarez), Cesar Yanis (CD Cobresal), Yoel Bárcenas (Mazatlan FC), Alberto Quintero (CD Plaza Amador), Azarías Londoño (CD Universidad Catolica)
Forwards: Ismael Díaz (Club Leon FC), Cecilio Waterman (Universidad de Concepcion), José Fajardo (CD Universidad Catolica), Tomás Rodríguez (Deportivo Saprissa)
