Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen stated that the team aims to do more than participate in the 2026 World Cup, emphasizing their intent to compete strongly against England, Croatia, and Ghana.

This tournament is Panama’s second World Cup appearance, and Christiansen, the nation’s longest-tenured coach, believes the squad has made significant progress. In an interview with FIFA, he described the group draws as “interesting” and stated that Panama is no longer overmatched by top regional opponents.

“Over the last five years, we’ve shown we can compete with stronger teams,” he said. “While we have yet to defeat Mexico during my tenure, we’ve beaten the United States multiple times. We want to bring that same level of performance against Ghana, Croatia, and England.”

Christiansen acknowledged the strength of their group but emphasized that respect does not mean hesitation. “We know the challenge ahead, but we intend to face it directly and continue elevating Panama’s profile.”

He added that expectations must rise, noting that simple milestones are no longer sufficient. “Our goal is for Panamanians to feel genuinely proud of the team. Scoring a consolation goal is no longer enough—we must expect more from ourselves.”

Panama will begin their World Cup campaign against Ghana before facing Croatia and England.