First Touch ’26 - Panama

Panama’s World Cup history is short and brutal: one appearance, three losses, and a 32nd-place finish in 2018. But that’s only half the story. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass digs into how a baseball country slowly built a football identity. Gary Stempel, who helped launch a generation, to steady growth in the Gold Cup, Nations League, and a spirited 2024 Copa América run. We revisit the night Roman Torres scored in the 87th minute to send Panama to their first World Cup (and the U.S. crashing out), plus Felipe Baloy’s historic goal in Russia. Then we fast-forward to a 2026 qualifying campaign where Thomas Christiansen’s organized, “stubborn” side leaned on structure, defensive grit, and sharp transitions to get back to the big stage. With a veteran core, CONCACAF-hardened experience, and midfield heartbeat Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla now starring in Liga MX, Los Canaleros arrive in a familiar time zone with unfinished business.