Panama at the World Cup: A Complete History

Panama at the World Cup: a brief history

Panama''s World Cup history is the shortest of any nation in the 2026 finals. Before the 2018 tournament in Russia, the country had never qualified for the global stage, despite a footballing tradition that stretches back to the early 20th century and a competitive record in CONCACAF. The 2026 World Cup will be Panama''s second appearance, and the country arrives with a more experienced squad, a settled coach and the benefit of the lessons learned from the difficult 2018 campaign that ended without a point.

The long road to 2018

Panama''s footballing history before 2017 was defined by repeated near-misses. The country had reached three CONCACAF Hexagonal qualifying campaigns (2010, 2014 and 2018) and had come within minutes of qualification on the night of the final 2014 cycle qualifying match. A 2-1 lead at home against the United States looked likely to send Panama to a first World Cup. Two stoppage-time goals from the Americans, however, sent the United States into the playoff and Panama out of the qualifying race. The match has been remembered in CONCACAF circles as one of the most painful single losses any qualifying nation has experienced.

Hernán Darío Gómez, the Colombian coach known as Bolillo, took over Panama in 2014 with a brief that extended through the 2018 qualifying cycle. He had previously taken Colombia to the 1998 World Cup and Ecuador to their first ever appearance in 2002. His track record made him a natural fit for a country trying to break through the same threshold for the first time.

2017: the qualification

Panama''s 2018 qualification was secured on a chaotic October 2017 night in Panama City. The country needed a win against Costa Rica in the final Hexagonal match to secure their place at the World Cup. Trinidad and Tobago beat the United States that same evening in Couva, eliminating the Americans, but Panama still required their own win to reach the finals.

The match against Costa Rica, played at the Estadio Rommel Fernández in front of 30,000 supporters, has gone down as one of the most consequential in CONCACAF qualifying history. Costa Rica took the lead through Johan Venegas in the 38th minute. Panama''s equaliser, attributed to Gabriel Torres in the 52nd minute, was contested at the time: replays appeared to show the ball had not crossed the line. The goal stood. Roman Torres scored the winner in the 88th minute with a tap-in from a corner; the stadium erupted, and Panama secured their first ever World Cup qualification. The day was declared a national holiday.

The qualification was the high point of Panamanian football history. Roman Torres, who had been part of every disappointing campaign in the previous decade, became a national hero. Bolillo Gómez was credited with delivering what no other coach had been able to.

2018: Russia

Panama were drawn in Group G at the 2018 World Cup with Belgium, England and Tunisia. The opening match against Belgium at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi ended 3-0; Belgium had won by more, but a strong defensive performance in the first half kept the score level at the interval. The closing 45 minutes saw three Belgian goals, including a long-range strike from Kevin De Bruyne. Panama held their own physically but were outclassed technically.

The second match, against England in Nizhny Novgorod, ended 6-1. England''s rotational set-piece routine produced four first-half goals, including a hat-trick of penalties and headers from John Stones. The most celebrated moment of Panama''s World Cup history came in the 78th minute, when 37-year-old defender Felipe Baloy slid in to convert a free-kick rebound. The goal made Baloy Panama''s first ever World Cup scorer and produced one of the tournament''s most genuine emotional moments. The match itself was already lost; the goal was a substantial souvenir.

The third match, against Tunisia in Saransk, produced a 2-1 defeat. Mata gave Panama the lead in the 33rd minute. Tunisia equalised through Fakhreddine Ben Youssef before the break and won the match late through Wahbi Khazri. Panama exited the tournament without a point and with a goal difference of minus 9. The campaign was nonetheless regarded as a national success: the country had reached the World Cup, played at it, and scored a goal.

The post-2018 transition

Bolillo Gómez stepped down in 2019, and the federation conducted a long search for his replacement. Thomas Christiansen, the Spanish-Danish coach who had previously managed Leeds United and the Cyprus national team, was appointed in June 2020. The early phase of his tenure was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the cancellation of friendlies and the lack of competitive fixtures. Panama failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, finishing fourth in the CONCACAF Octagonal and missing the inter-confederation playoff.

Christiansen retained the federation''s confidence after the 2022 disappointment. The 2023 Gold Cup produced a run to the final, where Mexico won 1-0. Panama also reached the 2023 under-20 World Cup quarter-final, evidence that the development pathway was beginning to produce younger players capable of stepping up to the senior side.

2026 qualification

The 2026 qualifying campaign for CONCACAF was reformatted under the expanded 48-team format, with three automatic slots for the region. Panama secured their place by topping their second-round group and finishing strongly in the final qualifying round. The campaign was steadier than the 2014 and 2018 cycles had been: a more experienced squad, a clearer tactical identity and the benefit of senior players who had been through the highs and lows of qualifying before.

Adalberto Carrasquilla emerged as the most influential player. Aníbal Godoy provided the experience in central midfield. José Fajardo led the scoring charts. The squad''s reliance on the same generation that broke through in 2018 has been gradually reduced through the integration of younger players who came through the under-20 cycle.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup record

Panama''s wider continental record provides context to the World Cup performances. The Gold Cup has been the region''s flagship competition since 1991, and Panama have been semi-finalists or finalists on five occasions: 2005 (final, lost to USA on penalties), 2013 (final, lost to USA), 2015 (semi-final), 2019 (semi-final) and 2023 (final, lost to Mexico). The country has not yet won the Gold Cup, but the consistent presence in the latter stages of the competition has confirmed Panama as a serious CONCACAF nation.

Beyond the Gold Cup, Panama have appeared at multiple Copa Centroamericana finals (the now-defunct UNCAF Cup) and have won the tournament four times (2009, 2017, 2025). The youth-development programmes have improved through the 2010s and the under-20 quarter-final at the 2023 World Cup was the most concrete sign of structural progress.

Lasting figures

Roman Torres remains the most celebrated single Panamanian footballer of the modern era. His winning goal against Costa Rica in October 2017 is the most replayed image in Panamanian football history; he retired from international duty after the 2018 World Cup with 137 caps and went on to a coaching role within the federation. Felipe Baloy, the scorer of Panama''s only World Cup goal, retired in 2019 after a 21-year international career.

Jaime Penedo, the goalkeeper at the 2018 World Cup, was the most internationally celebrated Panamanian player of the era. He had played in MLS for Los Angeles Galaxy and won the Liga MX championship with Dinamo Bucharest in Romania. Luis Tejada, the long-time striker, retired in 2019 with 43 international goals, the country''s all-time record, and Blas Pérez was a regular feature of the side''s attack throughout the 2010 to 2018 era.

Of the contemporary squad, Adalberto Carrasquilla is the player most likely to extend the international career of any Panamanian footballer through to the next generation. Michael Murillo''s spell at Anderlecht has been the country''s most successful European club tenure of the past decade. The 2026 World Cup will be the first opportunity for both to perform on the global stage as established, senior players rather than emerging talent.

Reading on

For more on Panama''s 2026 campaign, see the team preview and the Group L guide. Our broader long-reads cover the tournament hub and the expanded 48-team format.