CONCACAF.com previews Wednesday's friendlies involving CONCACAF national teams.

Panama - Spain, 16:30 local time, Estadio Rommel Fernandez, Panama City
In the marquee confederation match up of the day, Panama plays host to world champion Spain at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City. Coach Julio Dely Valdes has chosen none other than the world's top ranked team as a final sparring partner before kicking off the Hexagonal early next year.

Dely Valdes selected a balanced squad for what will be Panama's first meeting with Spain at the full international level in Central America. The long-time national teamer called in ten players from overseas and nine from the local league.

Spain brings much of its World Cup winning side to what will be the team's fifth match in the CONCACAF region since winning the 2010 World Cup. Superstars Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, David Villa and Sergio Busquets are all part of the traveling party.

For the host, goalkeeper Jaime Penedo of Guatemala's CSD Municipal figures to play a big role in net, while defender Felipe Baloy of Mexico's Santos Laguna will have his work cut out in the center of defense. Two club related absences from the original list of call-ups -- forard Luis Tejada, who is enjoying a spectacular season with Toluca in the Liga MX, and defender Roman Torres of Colombian side Millonarios -- may hamper the Canaleros' chances at a historic triumph.

Honduras - Peru, 20:00 local time, BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas
A somewhat experimental Honduran side will take the field at BBVA Compass Field in Houston on Wednesday, as the Catrachos prepare for the Hexagonal against South American foe Peru. Honduran skipper Luis Suarez called in a mostly domestic-based squad for the midweek clash, along with four players from Major League Soccer and one from the Polish League.

Suarez plans to use the match day to try out some new options in the Catracho attack and rearguard, after Honduras cruised to qualification on the final match day of the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying in October, with an 8-0 win over Canada.

Two of the stars of that match, Mario Martinez of the Seattle Sounders and Jerry Bengston of the New England Revolution, who scored five goals between them against Canada, are in the team for Wednesday's match.

A relative newcomer to the full team is DC United's Andy Najar. A number of veteran and younger players from the Honduran domestic tournament round out the squad, including representatives of five of the six clubs set to take part in the Liguilla of the Aperura 2012, which kicks off Thursday back in Honduras.

Bolivia - Costa Rica, 20:30 local time, Estadio Tahuichi Aguilera, Santa Cruz
Costa Rica heads south for a genuine road test as a tune up for the Hexagonal. Jorge Luis Pinto's side faces a nearly full strength Bolivia team in the eastern city of Santa Cruz, with both teams looking to set the tone for qualifying next year.

With a vital date between qualifying rounds, Pinto has opted to leave some big names out in order to try out a number of new figures in his squad, as anticipation of January's UNCAF Cup and Costa Rica's close call with elimination in the semifinal round of CONCACAF qualifying means generational change could come sooner rather than later to La Sele.

The Colombian coach left regulars Bryan Ruiz, Álvaro Saborío, Keilor Navas and Christian Bolaños with their clubs abroad, while calling in the young attacking duo of Joel Campbell of Spain's Real Betis and Johnatan McDonald of Kalmaar in Switzerland, for a true test with the full national team.

After struggling through much of the semifinal round of qualifying, the Ticos looked to hit their stride with wins on the last two match days of the semifinal round. Against a Bolivian team currently on the outside looking in to the World Cup party in CONMEBOL, but anxious to continue its winning ways after topping Uruguay at home in October, now may prove a good time for Pinto to test some key elements in the Costa Rican side ahead of the February 6th Hexagonal trip to Panama.

Russia - United States, 19:00 local time, Kuban Stadium, Krasnodar
During his tenure with the Stars and Stripes, head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has sought out road challenges for his squad. His team has scored victories in Italy and Mexico in 2012 in the process of amassing the best record in American soccer history for a calendar year. Now the United States heads to the southern Russian city of Krasnodar to take on a team it's never beaten in a full international.

For the trip to Russia, Klinsmann has called on a mostly Europe-based roster, as Major League Soccer's post season swings into full gear. The 20 players on the roster represent clubs in an astounding 11 different countries, with five from the German Bundesliga and only three representatives from the U.S. domestic league.

Veteran goalkeeper Tim Howard of the Premier League's Everton, along with midfielders Michael Bradley of Roma and Jermaine Jones of Schalke 04 will lead the American side, which has also incorporated a number of younger, unproven players. AZ Alkmaar striker Jozy Altidore and Santos Laguna goal poacher Herculez Gomez lead the attacking line.

The U.S. is 9-2-2 to date on the calendar year, and would eclipse the team's best ever winning percentage with a win in Russia. The U.S. went 9-3-2 in 2008, a mark that would be equaled with defeat at the hands of the hosts, who hold a 2-0-2 record all time against the CONCACAF side.

Paraguay - Guatemala, 19:00 local time, Estadio de Luque, Luque
Head coach Ever Almeida travels to his home country of Paraguay with a reduced squad of 17 players, as Guatemala gets set to meet the South American country for the fourth time this year. The Chapines, eliminated from CONCACAF World Cup qualifying in the semifinal round, are looking to sort out some options ahead of their Central American Cup campaign set to begin in January.

Only one new player, Heredia forward Enrique Miranda, has been added to the call-ups relative to the squad that bowed out of qualifying with a 3-1 loss to the U.S. a few weeks ago in Kansas City.

Guatemala's roster contains five players from league leader Comunicaciones, and three from second place Municipal. Striker Mynor Lopez of Deportes La Sirena in Chile will join the team in Paraguay as the only foreign based player on the roster.