Panama Coach Thomas Christiansen Eager to Test Team Against Ghana
Head coach Thomas Christiansen says he is looking forward to the challenge awaiting Panama national football team after they were drawn alongside Ghana national football team, England national football team and Croatia national football team at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Panama secured qualification for only the second World Cup in their history and will compete in Group H at the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Christiansen, currently the longest-serving manager of the national team, believes his side has developed enough over the years to compete with top football nations on the global stage. Drawing on recent experiences against strong opposition in the CONCACAF region, he insists Panama is no longer intimidated by traditional powerhouses.
“I’m trying to look at it as an ‘interesting’ group [he laughs]. 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,” he said in an interview with FIFA.
“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.
“We know they’re tricky customers, but we want to go toe to toe with them and put Panama on the map. 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.”
Panama will open their Group H campaign against Ghana before facing Croatia and England as they aim to make a stronger impact in their second appearance at the World Cup.
