Panama - Croatia / 2026 FIFA World Cup

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the Panama vs. Croatia match in Group L of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, also broadcast live on JOJ Šport, kicks off at 1:00 AM.

The World Cup is unforgiving, and for two unlucky teams from Group L's opening day, the upcoming clash in Toronto, Canada, is a do-or-die affair. The script is clear: whoever fails to secure a full three points in this encounter will likely be packing their bags. While Panama's footballers aim to heal the wounds of a cruel goal conceded in the dying seconds, the favored Croatians urgently need to reboot a defense that took a harsh lesson from England.

Zlatko Dalić and his squad suffered a wild 2-4 defeat against England in their opening match. While the scoreline appears daunting at first glance, "Vatreni" kept pace with the favorites for a long time. In the first half, they twice erased their opponent's narrow lead, heading into halftime level at 2-2, thanks to clinical finishes from Martin Baturina and Petar Musa. However, after the break, the English shifted into a higher gear, and their relentless pressing exposed huge gaps in the Croatian backline. Only Dominik Livaković's phenomenal saves prevented an even bigger rout.

The experienced Croatian coach understands his team's biggest weakness. They need to be much more compact defensively, having conceded far too many soft goals against England. Nevertheless, there's no need to panic. Even at forty, the legendary Luka Modrić demonstrated complete control over the game's rhythm, the ageless Ivan Perišić contributed an assist, and the Musa-Kramarić duo confirmed the immense power of the Balkan offense. Moreover, in Toronto, they won't be facing a gold medal contender but rather the weakest team in the group on paper.

Panama, on the other hand, experienced a massive sporting tragedy at the start of the tournament. They were on the verge of securing their first-ever World Cup point against Ghana, but Caleb Yirenkyi broke their heroic resistance in the 95th minute. The 0-1 loss is even more frustrating for Thomas Christiansen's side, as they delivered a tactically flawless performance. "Los Canaleros" played with exceptional discipline, not allowing the African opponents a single shot on target in the first half. Around the hour mark, Christian Martínez had a huge chance, but it once again highlighted that while the Central American team is organized without the ball, they lack the necessary top-tier quality in the attacking third.

However, excellent news is emerging from the Panamanian camp ahead of this crucial battle. Captain Aníbal Godoy is back in full training after injury, and playmaker Adalberto Carrasquilla will also be available. Christiansen's team's success will depend on his creative ideas and ability to shift the game's focus. The Danish coach on the Panamanian bench will likely once again opt for a defensive system with five defenders, which functioned like a reliable Swiss mechanism in the first match.

The tactical cards are dealt completely differently than in the first round. Croatia is expected to take the initiative, dominate possession, and face a challenging task in breaking down Panama's deep block. In such moments, Modrić and Kovačič will need to draw upon their maximum experience. Tournament maturity should be the decisive factor. While Panama is still waiting for its first World Cup point, Croatia belongs to the absolute elite of the last two World Cups and handles these high-stakes matches with a cool head.