The Panama national team will play two friendly matches against South Africa to prepare for the World Cup. These matches are scheduled for March 27th and 31st on the African continent. The Panamanian Football Federation (FPF) states that these games are a significant opportunity for the national team, as the opponent from the Confederation of African Football possesses physical and tactical characteristics similar to the Ghanaian team, which Panama will face in its World Cup debut. The South African Football Association also highlighted the upcoming matches against Panama. "Panama, currently ranked 33rd in the world, is considered a high-quality opponent," they noted. The Central American selection offers a competitive, physically, and tactically disciplined performance, very similar to the level that Bafana Bafana will face at the FIFA World Cup. In addition to Ghana, Panama will face Croatia on June 23rd in Toronto, Canada, and will conclude the group stage against England on June 27th in New Jersey, USA. South Africa is in Group A alongside Mexico, South Korea, and the winner of the UEFA D playoff, which includes teams from Denmark, North Macedonia, Ireland, and the Czech Republic. According to FPF data, this will not be the first official match between Panama and South Africa. The two teams have a previous encounter from the 2005 Gold Cup, where Panama defeated South Africa 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the quarter-finals, a match held at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. Panama is preparing in advance for its World Cup 2026 debut, which will be against Ghana on June 17th in Toronto, Canada, as part of group L of the world's premier football event.
