What Happened
Panama U-17 coach Felipe Baloy has named a 23-player squad for the fifth edition of the Torneo Internacional Canteras de América, which will be held in Rosario, Argentina, from May 17 to May 22.
The team is set to travel on Thursday, May 14, as part of its buildup to the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026.
Panama’s Group Stage Challenge
Panama was drawn into Group C with Paraguay’s U-17 national team and the youth sides of Alianza Lima from Peru and Uruguay’s Peñarol.
The group stage will take place from May 17 to May 19 at the Complejo Polideportivo Jorge B. Griffa, the home facility of Newell’s Old Boys. The top team in each group, along with the best second-place finisher, will advance to the semifinals. The Copa de Oro final is scheduled for May 22.
Squad and Tournament Context
Among Baloy’s called-up players are Adamir Aparicio, Luis López, Arian Reyes, Alberto Adams, Gian Carlos Alemán, Renso Reyes, Neir Marrugo, Stephen Domínguez, Ian Luca Centella, Gabriel Quiroz, Lucas Norte, Lucio Ceballos, Ali Farhat, Joseph Choy, Alexander Tull, Moisés Cabezas, Joel Sánchez, Joseph López, Oliver Pinzón, Cristian Morán, Jorshua Gómez, Thiago Chalmers and Joshua Payton.
This will be Panama’s second appearance in the Canteras de América tournament. The country reached the runner-up position in the 2023 edition, giving the current squad a proven regional stage on which to test itself once again.
What This Means
The Rosario tournament offers Panama another competitive opportunity before the U-17 World Cup. Facing club academies and national youth sides from South America should provide a demanding test of pace, discipline and tactical preparation.
For Baloy and his players, the event is also a chance to measure progress against teams with strong development systems. A deep run would add momentum to Panama’s buildup and reinforce the squad’s confidence ahead of Qatar 2026.