Panama vs Croatia Prediction – 23.06.2026
By Brian Otieno · Football Tipster · Covering Exclusively World Cup 2026
Panama vs Croatia is a must-not-lose Group L clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, June 24, at Toronto Stadium — a meeting between two sides who both left Matchday 1 with nothing to show for largely encouraging performances. Panama were unfortunate to lose 1-0 to Ghana despite dominating large stretches of the match, undone only by a 95th-minute Caleb Yirenkyi winner. Croatia, meanwhile, were beaten 4-2 by England in a dramatic Dallas shootout, twice levelling the scores before Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford put the result beyond doubt. With both sides already facing an uphill task in a group containing England, this match represents a genuine must-win for whichever side hopes to chase the runners-up spot.
Panama vs Croatia Betting Tips
- Croatia to Win;
- Under 2.5 Goals;
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Panama Preview and News
Panama will leave their opener against Ghana with genuine encouragement despite the result. Specifically, Los Canaleros dominated the first half entirely, with Ghana failing to register a shot on target before the interval, while Panama’s Cecilio Waterman and Jiovany Ramos both came close to giving their side a deserved lead. Moreover, the underlying numbers reflected that pattern: Panama produced 12 shots worth 0.75 expected goals to Ghana’s seven shots worth 1.25 — a more even contest than the eventual scoreline suggests. Subsequently, it was only a moment of late carelessness, with Antoine Semenyo slipping in Brandon Thomas-Asante for the cross that Caleb Yirenkyi converted in the 95th minute, that denied Panama what would have been a richly deserved first World Cup point.
Panama Key Players
At the heart of Panama’s defensive and attacking structure is captain Aníbal Godoy, whose composure in midfield kept Panama disciplined for long periods against Ghana. In attack, meanwhile, Cecilio Waterman forced an early save from Lawrence Ati Zigi and remains Panama’s most direct attacking outlet. Out wide, furthermore, right-back Amir Murillo of Beşiktaş provided the cross that nearly led to an opening goal, while at the back, additionally, the concern is the manner in which Panama conceded — a moment of switched-off defending after pushing for a winner themselves.
Coach Thomas Christiansen will know his side performed well enough to have taken something from their opener, and that disappointment can be turned into motivation here. Tactically, Panama favour a compact, well-organised structure that limits space and waits patiently for opportunities. However, against a wounded Croatia side that will be desperate for a response of their own, Panama’s task of converting good performances into actual points becomes even more pressing.
Croatia Preview and News
Croatia’s defeat to England was a genuinely competitive affair that ultimately turned on a single second-half spell. Specifically, Martin Baturina’s stunning strike — curled into the top corner after Petar Sucic’s clever lay-off — levelled the scores at 1-1 following Harry Kane’s retaken penalty, before Petar Musa’s well-worked volley made it 2-2 right on the stroke of half-time after Ivan Perišić’s clever knockdown. Moreover, Croatia were level at the break against a side many considered the group’s outright favourites, a genuinely positive outcome given the context. Subsequently, however, Jude Bellingham’s drilled finish just two minutes into the second half proved the turning point, and England’s overwhelming second-half pressure — finishing with 22 shots to Croatia’s far smaller total — eventually told as Marcus Rashford added a fourth late on.
The performance still showcased real quality. Specifically, Martin Baturina of Como announced himself with a genuinely outstanding strike, while up front, furthermore, Petar Musa of FC Dallas — playing in his adopted hometown — scored a smart, well-worked volley. In midfield, additionally, the experienced pairing of Luka Modrić and Petar Sucic controlled large spells of possession, even if the end product against England’s defensive resilience was ultimately not enough. At the back, however, goalkeeper Dominik Livaković made a number of important saves that prevented an even heavier defeat.
Coach Zlatko Dalić will demand defensive improvements after conceding four goals, but the attacking quality on display against England offers genuine hope heading into this must-win fixture. Tactically, Croatia favour a possession-based approach that channels creativity through Modrić and the wide threat of Perišić. However, against a well-organised Panama side that defended Ghana effectively for 90 minutes, patience in the build-up will be essential.
Head-to-Head Matches
Panama and Croatia have never met before in any competition. This Group L encounter in Toronto on June 24, 2026, marks the first fixture between the two nations at any level. In effect, both sides enter without any historical reference point to draw from. For Panama, the absence of precedent is no disadvantage given how well they performed against Ghana — and Croatia’s defensive uncertainty against England offers further encouragement. Ultimately, current form and the respective Matchday 1 performances will provide the clearest guide to how this one unfolds.
Panama vs Croatia Betting Preview
Croatia carry both the greater individual quality and the more urgent need for a positive result, with Modrić’s experience and the attacking spark shown by Baturina and Musa giving them real attacking threat. By contrast, Panama have already proven they can frustrate stronger opposition for long periods, and their compact defensive structure troubled Ghana significantly before that late lapse. Even so, the gap in technical quality and tournament experience should ultimately tell in Croatia’s favour over ninety minutes. Granted, Panama’s discipline and the lessons learned from their narrow defeat to Ghana do offer genuine hope of another tight, low-scoring affair. Yet Croatia’s attacking talent, particularly with Baturina now in form, gives them the tools to find a breakthrough that Ghana ultimately needed 95 minutes to find. Anticipate, then, a cagey, tightly-contested match with limited space for either side, before Croatia’s superior quality shows itself in the final third. On balance, a narrow Croatia win, with Panama competing well throughout, looks the most probable result on the card.