FILE PHOTO: Veteran midfielder Anibal Godoy expected to lead the team. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

Panama named an experienced squad for the World Cup on Tuesday, with captain Anibal Godoy and ​midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla included as Thomas Christiansen’s side prepares for ‌the finals in the United States, Mexico and ​Canada.

Panama secured qualification for only its second ⁠World Cup after victory over El Salvador sealed its place at the June 11-July 19 tournament, eight years on from its debut in Russia.

Christiansen retained the core of the side that guided Panama through CONCACAF qualifying, with ‌veteran midfielder Godoy expected to lead the team ‌alongside ⁠Pumas UNAM midfielder Carrasquilla, who was included ⁠despite suffering an injury in Sunday’s Liga MX final defeat to Cruz Azul.

Veteran forward Alberto Quintero was also named in the squad after ​missing the 2018 World ‌Cup through injury, while the omission of Botafogo midfielder Kadir Barria was among the notable absences from Christiansen’s final list.

“We want to make history, we want to ‌do something beautiful and improve on what we ​did before,” Christiansen said during the squad presentation at the Administration Building of the Panama ⁠Canal.

“We need to support the 26 players chosen for this World Cup. It is a source of pride to ‌represent this national team.”

Panama will face Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina in warm-up matches before travelling to Canada to establish its World Cup base camp in New Tecumseth, Ontario.

It will open its Group L campaign against Ghana on June 17 before facing England ‌and Croatia, as Panama looks to improve on its 2018 World ​Cup debut, when it exited in the group stage without earning a point.

Published on May 26, 2026