The Panama national football team will face its fans again today, Thursday, to take on Mexico in a friendly match outside the FIFA calendar. This encounter, seasoned by the rivalry between the two teams, will serve as a test for a squad mostly composed of players from the local league. The Central American 'La Roja' will play at the Rommel Fernández stadium in the Panamanian capital, having secured their World Cup qualification last November by beating El Salvador 3-0. The team arrives at this match after a 1-1 draw in their recent visit to Bolivia, a result that left good feelings in the technical staff. As it is an unofficial match, Panama will face the duel with a roster mostly made up of local league players. The main offensive reference will be attacker Kadir Barría, who plays for Brazilian Botafogo and was the scorer against Bolivia. This group of players will also have the challenge of maintaining their unbeaten run at home and extending their unbeaten streak against the Mexican team. Panama's last victory over Mexico came in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, while their most recent defeat to the same rival occurred in the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League final. The Mexican team, led by Javier 'Vasco' Aguirre, has several Liga MX figures in its squad, including goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, defender Israel Reyes, and midfielder Carlos Rodríguez, one of the most experienced players in the tricolor squad.
