Infantino Thanks Panama for World Cup 2026 Effort, Urges Players to Stay Proud

FIFA President Gianni Infantino took to Instagram to express his gratitude to the Panamanian national team for their participation in the 2026 World Cup. "Thank you, Panama. Representing your country in a FIFA World Cup is a dream come true, and all the players should hold their heads high," Infantino stated.

Panama competed in Group L alongside England, Croatia, and Ghana. The team suffered three defeats, failing to advance to the knockout stage. They lost to Ghana and Croatia by identical 0-1 scores and were defeated by England 0-2. "We hope you can remember this participation, take the positives, and learn from the experience. See you soon!" Infantino added.

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Thank you, Panama. Representing your country in a FIFA World Cup is a dream come true, and all the players should hold their heads high.

This was Panama's second appearance in the World Cup, their first being in the 2018 edition held in Russia. In 2018, Panama made their historic debut after finishing third in the final CONCACAF hexagonal round, securing their spot with a memorable 2-1 victory over Costa Rica. In that tournament, they were placed in Group G with Belgium, England, and Tunisia, finishing fourth with no points, wins, or draws, and suffering three losses. Their most memorable moment in 2018 was Felipe Baloy's goal against England, Panama's first in a World Cup. In total, across their two World Cup appearances (2018 and 2026), Panama has played six matches, with zero wins, zero draws, six losses, scoring 2 goals, and conceding 15.

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We hope you can remember this participation, take the positives, and learn from the experience. See you soon!