MIAMI – The Concacaf Qualifiers to the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded with three nations booking their spots in next year’s tournament, including second-time participant Panama.
Panama performed flawlessly from start to finish to book its latest World Cup berth. Its qualifying campaign was fueled by top performances from players like José Luis Rodríguez and José Fajardo, who led the team with three goals, and right-back Amir Murillo, the team’s top assist provider with three.
The Central Americans kicked off the Qualifiers dominating Group B in the Second Round with 12 points and an undefeated 4-0-0 record, while only conceding one goal. Panama defeated Guyana 2-nil, Montserrat 3-1, Belize 2-nil, and Nicaragua 3-nil to clinch its place in the Final Round.
The Final Round saw Panama pitted in Group A alongside El Salvador, Guatemala, and Suriname. The September window presented two tough battles, with a nil-nil draw in Suriname and a hard fought 1-1 draw in Panama City against Guatemala.
Los Canaleros returned in October with a crucial and historic 1-nil victory win in El Salvador, as it marked Panama’s first win in El Salvador in Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers, followed by a 1-1 draw at home against Suriname.
The decisive November window subsequently saw Panama enter matched on points with Suriname. Panama rose to the occasion, earning a pivotal 3-2 win in Guatemala in what marked its first-ever triumph on Guatemalan soil, before closing out the Final Round with a dominant 3-nil home win over El Salvador.
Panama secured first place in Group A of the Final Round with a 3-3-0 record. The nation secured a direct berth alongside Curaçao and Haiti to join co-hosts Canada, Mexico and USA in representing Concacaf at the 2026 World Cup.
