2026 World Cup Group L: Panama vs Croatia Preview, Odds and Predictions (June 23)
- When: Tuesday, June 23, 2026. 7:00 PM ET
- Where: BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
- How to Watch: FOX
The 2026 World Cup goes through the second round of matches with the fourth matchup in Group K getting underway in Toronto as Panama battles with Croatia. These two squads will likely be in direct competition for a qualifying spot in the group, meaning that there will be pressure on both nations on MD2.
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Panama Stats & Team News
Panama showcased an inspiring performance in its group opener and first World Cup game since 2018. However, they fell short as Ghana scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time, placing a dent in Panama’s hopes of getting points in their group.
They now have a difficult test against Croatia, looking to bounce back from their own loss against England. The Croatians possess a midfield that will disrupt any kind of momentum Panama has, having frustration play a role in this match. Cecelio Waterman and Yoel Barcenas will look to create scoring chances as two of the leading goalscorers on the team.
Likely Lineup:
(3-4-3) Mosquera (GK); Blackman, Ramos, Córdoba; Murillo, Harvey, Martínez, Andrade; Bárcenas, Waterman, Rodriguez.
Croatia Stats & Team News
Croatia’s offense came to play against one of the World Cup favorites in England, producing two great goals from Martin Baturina and Petar Musa. However, the defense failed to constrict the English attack as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford bagged goals in the 4-2 victory.
Luka Modric didn’t have his signature performance in the midfield, looking to regain that form in the midfield against Panama. Croatia will also look to have the offense remain active and consistent to give themselves a solid finish in the group standings after three rounds.
Likely Lineup:
(4-3-3) Livakovic (GK) Stanisic, Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol; Modric, Sucic, Kovacic; Kramaric, Musa, Perisic
Head-to-Head Stats
- This is the first all-time meeting between Panama and Croatia.
- This marks the first competitive meeting between the nations.
Panama vs. Croatia World Cup Picks
Panama has yet to earn any points after its first four World Cup matches, hoping to obtain them the fifth time around. However, Croatia will make that objective difficult as the 2018 runners-up and 2022 third-place winners will give them a lot to deal with throughout this match. It would be safe to believe that Croatia takes this one by a 2-0 score.
