Bafana Bafana are set for two showdowns against Central America’s Panama as preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Mexico in June. Here’s everything you must know about Panama.
In what will be two friendly internationals, the first game takes place on Friday, 27 March at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban at 19:00.
Match two against the same side moves to the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday, 31 March at 19:30.
10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BAFANA BAFANA’S NEXT OPPONENTS PANAMA
Here are 10 things to know about Panama, who are steadily growing into a powerhouse in Central American football.
- Panama have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, sealing the achievement with a 3-0 win over El Salvador on November 25.
- As of late March 2026, Panama is ranked 33rd in the FIFA World Rankings, which is 27 places above Bafana Bafana [60th].
- The team’s nicknames are Los Canaleros [The Canal Men] or La Marea Roja [The Red Tide].
- Panama’s first FIFA World Cup qualification was in 2018 in Russia. They lost all three group matches: 2-1 to Tunisia, 6-1 to England and 3-0 to Belgium.
KEY PLAYER: ABDALBERTO CARRASQUILLA
5. Their key player is the 27-year-old midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla, who plays his football for UNAM Pumas in Mexico.
6. Los Canaleros lost 2-1 to Mexico in the 2025 final of the CONCACAF Nations League.
7. Panama were Copa America quarter-finalists in 2024, having beaten the USA and Bolivia in the group stages.
8. The team’s head coach has been in charge since 2020, and he is the Danish-born former Spain international, Thomas Christiansen.
9. For the 2026 World Cup, Panama has been drawn into Group L alongside England, Croatia and Ghana.
10. Panama are winless in 2026 after a 1-0 loss to Mexico and a 1-1 draw with Bolivia in January.
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