Panama To Arrive In SA On Monday For Key FIFA World Cup Warm-Up Matches
Panama will arrive in South Africa on Monday, where they are scheduled to play two FIFA-sanctioned international friendly matches against Bafana Bafana.
The two nations, both of whom have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will face off at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on 27 March, before meeting again four days later at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
During the North American World Cup qualifiers, Panama finished top of their group with 12 points from four matches, three points clear of Suriname. They recorded three wins and three draws in the qualifying campaign.
However, they will travel to South Africa on the back of a defeat to Mexico in a friendly match played in January.
Interestingly, Bafana Bafana are set to face Mexico in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup on 11 June at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
At the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, Panama have been drawn in a challenging group alongside Croatia, Ghana and England. Given the strength of their opponents, they are not considered favourites to progress to the knockout stages.
Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana, after their opener against Mexico, will take on the winner of the European playoff on 18 June. The playoff will be contested by Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or the Republic of Ireland later this month.
Bafana will then conclude their group-stage campaign against South Korea on 25 June.
The two matches between Bafana Bafana and Panama will serve as crucial preparations for both sides ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
PANAMA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Orlando Mosquera (Al-Fayha FC, Saudi Arabia), Luis Mejía (Nacional, Uruguay), César Samudio (Marathón, Honduras)
Defenders: César Blackman (Slovan Bratislava, Slovakia), Jorge Gutiérrez (Deportivo La Guaira, Venezuela), Amir Murillo (Beşiktaş, Türkiye), Andrés Andrade (LASK Linz, Austria), Martín Krug (Levante, Spain), José Córdoba (Norwich City, England), Eric Davis (CD Plaza Amador, Panama), Jiovany Ramos (Academia Puerto Cabello, Venezuela), Roderick Miller (Turan Tovuz, Azerbaijan)
Midfielders: Aníbal Godoy (San Diego FC, USA), Adalberto Carrasquilla (Pumas UNAM, Mexico), Carlos Harvey (Minnesota United, USA), Cristian Martínez (Ironi Kiryat Shmona, Israel), José Luis Rodríguez (FC Juárez, Mexico), César Yanis (Cobresal, Chile), Yoel Bárcenas (Mazatlán FC, Mexico)
Forwards: Ismael Díaz (León, Mexico), Cecilio Waterman (Universidad de Concepción, Chile), José Fajardo (Universidad Católica, Ecuador), Kadir Barría (Botafogo)
