Panama vs Croatia – Match preview and team news

Panama face Croatia at Toronto Stadium tonight with both nations fighting to save their World Cup campaigns.

Each side suffered a painful defeat during their respective opening Group L fixtures. Zlatko Dalic watched his players fight back twice before collapsing to a 4-2 loss against rampant England. Meanwhile, a heartbreaking 95th-minute winner from Ghana left Panama completely empty-handed. Securing maximum points at BMO Field remains absolutely vital to avoid an early exit.

Panama vs Croatia – Match preview and team news

• Date: Wednesday, 24 June 2026
• Kick-off: 00:00 BST
• Venue: Toronto Stadium, Toronto
• Referee: Pierre Ghislain Atcho (Gabon)

Team news

Panama

Thomas Christiansen has a massive decision to make regarding creative midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla tonight. The star player has returned to partial training after missing the opener with a groin issue. However, this crucial match might arrive too soon for him to start. Forward Ismael Diaz pushes hard to join the frontline after recovering full fitness. As the leading scorer at the recent Gold Cup, Diaz offers unique cutting edge. Wingback Cesar Blackman and midfielder Carlos Harvey must tread carefully after picking up bookings.

Croatia

Dalic could switch his tactical system to a flexible 4-3-3 formation to overwhelm the Panamanian midfield. Mateo Kovacic looks set to return to the starting lineup after starting on the bench previously. That said, veteran midfielder Luka Modric will retain his place despite a difficult opening match. The 40-year-old gave away a penalty against England before being substituted early. Up top, Andrej Kramaric pushes to replace Petar Musa despite the youngster scoring last week.

Form

Panama

Panama deserve immense credit for frustrating Ghana for large stretches of their opening game. They controlled possession beautifully and did not concede a single first-half shot. However, trying to press high late on exposed their defensive line to a lethal counter-attack. A cruel 95th-minute goal condemned them to their fourth consecutive World Cup defeat. Los Canaleros have only won twice in 2026 while failing to keep a single clean sheet.

Croatia

Croatia played their part in a spectacular six-goal thriller against England last week. The Checkered Ones showed great character to peg the favourites back twice before the interval. Despite those positive moments, severe physical struggles and defensive lapses cost them dearly. Dalic has now suffered three losses in his last four international fixtures. His experienced squad must recover their defensive cracks quickly to ensure automatic qualification.

Predicted lineups

Panama predicted XI: Mosquera; Blackman, Ramos, Córdoba; Murillo, Harvey, Martínez, Andrade; Bárcenas, Waterman, Rodríguez.

Croatia predicted XI: Livaković; Stanišić, Šutalo, Vušković, Gvardiol; Modrić, Kovačić, P. Sučić; Baturina, Kramarić, Perišić.

How to watch the match Panama vs Croatia?

The group match kicks off at 00:00 BST on Wednesday. The match will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer for viewers in the UK.

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