Panamá Hosts El Salvador in Pivotal World Cup Qualifier Match

Panamá City, Panama — The Panama national soccer team faces El Salvador tonight in a crucial World Cup qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This game is part of the final round of the Concacaf qualifiers, taking place at the Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez Stadium at 8:00 p.m. Panama time.

With nine points and a goal difference of +2, Panama sits in second place in Group A. This position currently grants them one of two Concacaf spots for the intercontinental playoff in March. A win against El Salvador would enhance their chances for a direct qualification in their quest for a second World Cup appearance.

El Salvador, meanwhile, is out of contention with just three points from five matches. Although the Salvadoran team has little to gain, they could spoil Panama’s chances in front of a home crowd.

The match brings an interesting subplot as Hernán Darío ‘Bolillo’ Gómez, who coached Panama to their first World Cup in 2018, now leads El Salvador.

In Panama’s squad, defender Michael Amir Murillo will not participate, having traveled to France to recover from a recent injury. The Salvadoran team is also missing four players: Bryan Gil, Jefferson Valladares, Mauricio Cerritos, and Nathan Ordaz.

Panama needs a win and a result from the game between Guatemala and Surinam to secure qualification. If Surinam wins, the task for Panama becomes more complicated, requiring a four-goal victory over El Salvador to qualify without a playoff.

Fans can follow the match live on TVMAX and other local channels, with an option for a minute-by-minute update online.