Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen says he is relishing the opportunity of challenging England, Croatia, and Ghana at the 2026 World Cup.
Panama qualified for their second-ever global tournament and have been drawn in Group H for the competition to be staged in Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
Christiansen, who is the country’s longest-serving coach, believes his side is capable of being at the level of England, Croatia, and Ghana at the World Cup, having faced some of the best in the past.
“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’s first game at the World Cup will be against Ghana, followed by matches against Croatia and England.
