What Happened
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino announced Thursday that he will travel to Canada in June to attend Panama’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup. Speaking at the inauguration of the Luis “Matador” Tejada High-Performance Center, Mulino said, “In June we have that great event, the World Cup; we’ll be there in Canada supporting our team.” He also expressed confidence in the team’s prospects against Ghana, adding with a laugh, “I want them to win the first match, which I believe is against Ghana; we’re going to beat Ghana.”
World Cup schedule and preparation
Panama is placed in Group L of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held between June and July across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The national team is scheduled to debut on June 17 against Ghana, then play Croatia on June 23 and England on June 27 in the group stage.
The team is currently preparing through a pair of friendly matches in March: on March 27 at Moses Mabhida Stadium and on March 31 at DHL Stadium against South Africa. Panama’s coach, the Spanish-Danish Thomas Christiansen, said these matches will serve as key tests to finalize the World Cup roster.
Background
Mulino’s announcement came as part of events marking the opening of the Luis “Matador” Tejada High-Performance Center, a facility intended to support elite training for Panamanian athletes. The president’s public support underscores the government’s visibility around the national team’s World Cup campaign as the country prepares for its matches abroad.
What this means
The president’s decision to attend the opening match adds a political and symbolic element to Panama’s World Cup participation, signaling official backing at the highest level. High-profile attendance can boost national morale and media attention for the team during an event that draws global audiences. For the players and coaching staff, government presence at major fixtures may be seen as a show of solidarity and encouragement ahead of a challenging group stage that includes established international sides.
With friendlies against South Africa intended to finalize selections, Panama will use the coming weeks to sharpen form and chemistry. The government’s involvement, combined with investments in training infrastructure highlighted at the inauguration, reflect a wider focus on preparing the squad for the demands of the World Cup.