Panama national football team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Panama women's national football team.

Panama
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Los Canaleros (The Canal Men)
La Marea Roja (The Red Tide)
AssociationFederación Panameña de Fútbol
ConfederationCONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederationUNCAF (Central America)
Head coachThomas Christiansen
CaptainAníbal Godoy
Most capsGabriel Gómez (148)
Top scorerLuis Tejada (43)
Home stadiumEstadio Nacional Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez
FIFA codePAN
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 39 Decrease 2 (24 October 2024)[1]
Highest29 (March 2014)
Lowest150 (August 1995)
First international
 Panama 2–1 Venezuela 
(Panama City, Panama; 12 February 1938)[2]
Biggest win
 Anguilla 0–13 Panama 
(Panama City, Panama; 5 June 2021)
Biggest defeat
 Panama 0–11 Costa Rica 
(Panama City, Panama; 16 February 1938)
World Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2018)
Best resultGroup stage (2018)
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup
Appearances12 (first in 1963)
Best resultRunners-up (2005, 2013, 2023)
CONCACAF Nations League Finals
Appearances2 (first in 2023)
Best resultFourth place (2023, 2024)
Copa América
Appearances2 (first in 2016)
Best resultQuarter-finals (2024)
Medal record
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Silver medal – second place 2005 United States Team
Silver medal – second place 2013 United States Team
Silver medal – second place 2023 United States and Canada Team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 United States and Canada Team
Copa Centroamericana
Gold medal – first place 2009 Honduras Team
Silver medal – second place 2007 El Salvador Team
Silver medal – second place 2017 Panama Team
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Honduras Team
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Panama Team
Bronze medal – third place 2014 United States Team
CCCF Championship
Gold medal – first place 1951 Panama Team
Bronze medal – third place 1948 Guatemala Team

The Panama national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Panamá) represents Panama in men's international football and is governed by the Panamanian Football Federation. The team represents all three FIFA, CONCACAF and the regional UNCAF.

Panama qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time for the 2018 tournament in Russia and scored their first goal of the World Cup against England, although they lost the match 6–1. They finished bottom of their group.[4][5]

Panama finished as runners-up at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2005,[6] 2013[7] and 2023, losing to the United States on the former two occasions and to Mexico in the latter. Panama has also competed in the sub-regional Copa Centroamericana which they won in 2009, beating Costa Rica in the final (0–0 on full-time, 5–3 on penalties). They finished in third place on three occasions (1993, 2011, 2014), and finished as runners-up behind Honduras in the 2017 edition, which they hosted.

The national team is nicknamed "Los Canaleros" (lit. 'The Canal Men'), in reference to the Panama Canal.

  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  2. ^ Barrie Courtney. "Panama – International Results". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  3. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  4. ^ "From agony to ecstasy: Panama's remarkable journey to the 2018 World Cup and a night they'll never forget". The Independent. 11 October 2017. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  5. ^ "The wildest night in CONCACAF history? How the U.S. exit played out". ESPN. 11 October 2017. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  6. ^ "CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2005". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  7. ^ "U.S. MNT Wins CONCACAF Gold Cup with 1-0 Victory against Panama". US Soccer. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.