Panama Soccer Team Bets on Rotation for Final Home Match Before World Cup 2026

Panama's national soccer team will play its final home match before the FIFA World Cup 2026 against the Dominican Republic. Coach Thomas Christiansen is focused on player recovery and managing physical loads for the upcoming tournament. The team will depart for the United States after the match to continue preparations, including a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The "Canalero" squad faces the Dominican Republic at a sold-out Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez, marking their farewell to local fans before heading to the World Cup. Coach Thomas Christiansen addressed the team's physical condition, lessons learned from their recent 6-2 friendly loss to Brazil, and the remaining preparation schedule.

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Everyone has followed their recovery and treatment processes. We are controlling each situation so they arrive in the best possible condition.

Christiansen confirmed that Azarías Londoño is nearing full training, while Luis Mejía and Adalberto Carrasquilla are on differentiated training plans. Aníbal Godoy is showing favorable progress and will rejoin the group once the team relocates to the United States. "Everyone has followed their recovery and treatment processes. We are controlling each situation so they arrive in the best possible condition," Christiansen stated.

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When you face teams of this level, any mistake can make a difference. It's an important lesson for us and part of the team's growth.

Despite the heavy defeat against Brazil, Christiansen views the match as a valuable learning experience, highlighting aspects that need correction before facing high-caliber opponents like Ghana, Croatia, and England. "When you face teams of this level, any mistake can make a difference. It's an important lesson for us and part of the team's growth," he commented.

For the match against the Dominican Republic, Christiansen plans to manage player workloads and give opportunities to most of the squad. "We want to say goodbye to our fans in the best possible way. The idea is that practically all players will get minutes and can participate in this celebration with our people," he said. Following this game, the team departs for San Luis, USA, on Thursday for further training and a final friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 6.

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We want to say goodbye to our fans in the best possible way. The idea is that practically all players will get minutes and can participate in this celebration with our people.