Panama vs Croatia | FIFA World Cup 2026 — Group Stage | Preview and Prediction

Panama will face a stern test against a formidable Croatia side in a clash where both teams are facing an uphill battle to stay in the tournament, making a win an absolute necessity for either side.

For this Group L game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, here we present our preview and prediction.

FIFA WC26 | Group L: PAN vs CRO | 04:30 IST, 23 June 2026

Panama gave a brilliant account of themselves last time out in what was a physical, robust, and staunchly fought contest against Ghana. They had the better of the chances and openings in a cagey first half but failed to make them count.

The Central American side were pretty well drilled and well organised in defence, and just when it felt like they had done enough to secure their first-ever point in World Cup finals, they had their hearts broken by a late goal. Despite the loss, though, they had a lot of positives to take from that game in terms of their defensive resilience and organisation. With head coach Thomas Christiansen promising a similarly intense performance from his wards, Croatia might as well prepare themselves for a battle of attrition.

For the Kockasti, the World Cup has begun with a 4–2 defeat against England, a game that showcased their best and worst bits in equal measure. In the first half, they were fiercely competitive and good value for the 2–2 half-time scoreline, refusing to give in and matching England band for band despite going down twice. In the second half, however, the familiar Croatian shortcomings were brutally exposed in a ten-minute burst where England cut through them at will like a hot knife through butter. It took an otherworldly performance between the sticks from goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic to keep the scoreline respectable at 3–2, because things could have become much more embarrassing.

Apart from Livakovic, Martin Baturina was impressive for the Croats as he took an excellent strike for his goal to earn the first equaliser. But Zlatko Dalic’s men will have to be much better than they were in the second half, because they can still qualify for the next stage given the quality they have at their disposal.

Panama will rely on their rugged defence and staunch and compact block to make life difficult for Croatia, as they will look to take the game as deep as possible hoping to get a couple of good shots themselves. As for Croatia, they will seek to get an early goal that will not only settle the nerves, but also allow them to dictate the terms of the game before Panama even look to play the way they want to.

Croatia will definitely start the game as favourites, but expect Panama to be feisty opponents for Luka Modric and Co.

Score Predictions: Panama 0–3 Croatia
Venue: Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada