Panama vs Croatia: 2026 World Cup Group L Preview

Originally published on WeeBet on 2026-06-24. Reposted with canonical link.

Note: Live match data from ESPN indicates Croatia scored in the 54th minute (Ante Budimir) and the match is in progress. However, WeeBet's confirmed kickoff is 2026-06-23 23:00 UTC (7 p.m. ET), and this is a match preview article. I'll write this as a preview, using pre-match context and verified pre-match odds, and will note that readers can track the live match on WeeBet's live hub.

Panama vs Croatia — 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L Preview

Panama and Croatia meet at BMO Field in Toronto on June 23, 2026, at 23:00 UTC (7 p.m. ET) in a Group L fixture where defeat for either side would put their knockout-stage ambitions on life support. Croatia enter as heavy favorites:

FanDuel Sportsbook lists Croatia at -220 on the 90-minute money line, with Panama at +600 and a draw at +350.

The Opta supercomputer gives Croatia a 63.0% win probability across pre-match simulations.

Panama and Croatia are meeting for the very first time in senior international football.

Both nations lost their Matchday 1 fixtures and cannot afford a second slip. For live odds, real-time scores, and up-to-the-minute markets on this match, head to the WeeBet live odds and markets hub and the dedicated Panama vs Croatia match page.

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The Stakes: A Must-Win for Both

Panama and Croatia meet at BMO Field in Toronto in a Group L clash after both sides lost their opening-day matches.

The elimination math is unforgiving.

A loss here would render Panama effectively eliminated if England avoids defeat against Ghana in the parallel fixture; Croatia, meanwhile, would be eliminated with a game to spare if they lose and Ghana avoid defeat against England.

Croatia have never advanced past the group stage of the World Cup after losing their opening game.

That historical asterisk adds urgency to Zlatko Dalić's preparations, even if his side's pedigree —

Croatia finished third in 2022 and were runners-up in 2018

— suggests they can find a response.

Panama's Form and Matchday 1 Takeaways

Panama are hopeful of bouncing back from a momentum-breaking opener, after losing in late stoppage time to a tap-in goal by Ghana's Caleb Yirenkyi. The 1-0 defeat denied Los Canaleros a first-ever World Cup point and left them on a four-game losing streak dating back to the 2022 World Cup.

The performance, though, offered encouragement.

Panama took the game to Ghana, dominating possession (62%), taking more shots (11 vs 7), having more touches in the opposition box (19 vs 14) and creating more big chances (2 vs 1).

All that good work was undone by an inability to convert dominance into goals, with Ghana punishing them on a rapid 95th-minute counter.

The key injury concern is central midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla.

Carrasquilla missed the Ghana defeat with a groin issue and had only returned to partial training ahead of the Croatia clash.

Panama was unable to create any major chances without Carrasquilla in midfield — and he is expected to miss again.

Wingback César Blackman and midfielder Carlos Harvey are also walking disciplinary tightropes after picking up bookings in the opener.

Panama's predicted XI (3-4-3):

Mosquera; Blackman, Ramos, Córdoba; Murillo, Harvey, Martínez, Andrade; Bárcenas, Waterman, Rodríguez.

Croatia's Form and Matchday 1 Damage Assessment

Croatia were blown away by a sensational England performance in the second half, losing 2-4.

Croatia stood toe-to-toe with England in the first half, as you'd expect from a team that has reached the semi-final and final of the last two World Cups, before the years-in-legs of some of their key players told. As England ratcheted up the intensity, Croatia's midfield was taken apart.

Croatia boss Zlatko Dalić admitted he got it all wrong against England.

A formation and personnel reset looks likely, with Croatia expected to revert to the 4-3-3 they are more accustomed to.

Experienced midfielder Mateo Kovačić could come into the middle alongside Luka Modrić

— a pairing that would give Croatia considerably more control over tempo.

Croatia have lost three of their last four games and have not kept a clean sheet in seven matches.

Croatia's probable XI (4-3-3):

Livaković; Stanišić, Šutalo, Pongračić, Gvardiol; Kovačić, Modrić; Perišić, Baturina, Pašalić; Musa.

Key Players to Watch

Luka Modrić (Croatia) —

This will be Modrić's 200th appearance for Croatia.

The great Modrić, 40, barely lasted an hour against England and cut a tired figure for most of it.

He will be motivated to leave a mark on a milestone cap.

Croatia will expect to have more of the ball against Panama than they did against England, and if they are to make the most of it, Modrić has to come to the fore and impose himself.

Petar Musa (Croatia) —

Since the start of April 2026, Musa has scored in six of his ten starts, bagging seven goals and two assists. On the season he has scored 12 goals in 13 MLS matches.

He is a strong finisher who does not need much space and can finish in the air.

Martin Baturina (Croatia) —

Baturina scored a fine goal against England and could keep his place in Croatia's frontline. A creative midfielder by trade, he may line up as an inside forward.

Ismael Díaz (Panama) —

Díaz won the Golden Boot at the 2025 Gold Cup, scoring twice as many goals as any other player, and could be Panama's solution to a lack of goals on the world stage.

With Panama's tournament life on the line, Christiansen could bring Díaz in as the cutting edge they have lacked.

Head-to-Head and Historical Context

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Panama and Croatia are meeting for the very first time

at senior international level, so there is no direct head-to-head data to draw on. The historical gap in World Cup experience is stark.

Panama are yet to register a point in any of their four World Cup games, having conceded 12 goals and scored just twice.

Croatia, by contrast, carry the institutional memory of deep tournament runs.

Croatia have lost seven of their last ten World Cup matches against teams from the Americas, though,

a statistic that Panama's camp will not have missed.

What the Markets Say

As of June 23, 2026,

FanDuel Sportsbook lists Croatia at -220 on the 90-minute money line, with Panama at +600, a draw at +350, and the over/under for total goals set at 2.5.

Panama's defense has not kept a clean sheet in eight straight matches

, which has pushed the over market into favour.

An average of 2.64 goals have been scored across Croatia's 31 World Cup matches,

supporting the case for a high-scoring affair.

For goalscorer markets, Petar Musa is the most exposed name.

Since the start of April 2026, Musa has scored in six of his ten starts, bagging seven goals and two assists over that span.

Live odds, in-play markets, and real-time score updates are available now at the WeeBet World Cup hub and the Panama vs Croatia live match page. All positions update in real time from kickoff. Please bet responsibly — if gambling is causing you harm, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Tactical Outlook

Panama line up in a bold 3-4-3 against Croatia's more familiar 4-3-3, setting up a contest between width and control. Los Canaleros will look to press high and exploit the flanks, while Modrić and Kovačić anchor a Croatian midfield built to dictate tempo.

Croatia's greater World Cup pedigree makes them clear favourites to advance, yet Panama's compact back three offers structural resilience that could frustrate an attack reliant on combination play. How Joško Gvardiol handles the space behind him against a mobile Panama front line may prove the defining tactical question of the match.

Croatia will not pressure heavily, but they will deny Panama the spaces in which to operate — and they will present a much more dangerous attack than Ghana, driven by Modrić controlling the midfield.

Panama's path to a result runs through early defensive discipline and converting the first clear chance they create. Their Matchday 1 xG of 0.41 against Ghana suggests the chances will come; the finishing must improve.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is Panama vs Croatia at the 2026 World Cup?

Panama vs Croatia kicks off on June 23, 2026 at 23:00 UTC (7 p.m. ET) at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a Group L Matchday 2 fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Track the live score and odds at the WeeBet match page.

Who is favored to win Panama vs Croatia?

Croatia are listed at -220 on the 90-minute money line at FanDuel Sportsbook, with Panama at +600 and a draw at +350.

The Opta supercomputer gives Croatia a 63.0% win probability

— making them clear, if not overwhelming, favourites.

Have Panama and Croatia ever played before?

Panama and Croatia are meeting for the very first time in senior international football.

There is no historical head-to-head record between the two nations to reference.

What is Luka Modrić's milestone in this match?

This fixture will be Luka Modrić's 200th appearance for Croatia

— a landmark cap the veteran midfielder will be highly motivated to mark with a strong performance after a difficult Matchday 1 outing against England.