USA and Panama Clash in 2025 Concacaf Nations League Semifinals

MIAMI — The Concacaf Nations League Finals will commence on March 20, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, where the United States will face Panama in the first semifinal match. This clash marks the two nations’ first meeting in the CNL Finals, with the U.S. aiming for its fourth consecutive championship title.

Pitted against historic rivals, the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT), coached by Mauricio Pochettino, will strive to maintain its dominance after a stellar run that includes victories in all previous iterations of the tournament. The U.S. advanced to this semifinal after a convincing 5-2 aggregate win over Jamaica in the quarterfinals, thanks to contributions from players like Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah.

On the opposite side, Panama enters this matchup with aspirations of being the first Central American team to reach the final. Panama defeated Costa Rica in the quarterfinals with a 3-2 aggregate score, showcasing impressive performances by José Fajardo and César Blackman.

Head coach Thomas Christiansen has led Los Canaleros to the CNL Finals for the third consecutive time, marking a significant achievement for the team. Panama holds a unique recent rivalry with the U.S., having defeated them in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup semifinals, a match that ended in a dramatic penalty shootout.

The USMNT will gather in Los Angeles on March 16 ahead of the match, with players eager to seize this opportunity. Coach Pochettino emphasized the importance of the event, stating, “This is a massive opportunity to win a trophy and that is our clear objective. We must continue to show our quality, our bravery and our commitment to each other.”

The tournament allows teams to showcase their strengths while providing vital experience for players, with 16 members of the current roster having previously participated in a CNL Finals tournament. Notable successes include last year’s roster, which featured six players in the CNL Finals Best XI.

This semifinal is expected to be highly competitive. The U.S. holds an 18W-7D-3L record against Panama in 28 official contests, though Los Canaleros have recently proven they can compete with the U.S., winning two of the last three encounters.

For fans looking to watch the match, it will be broadcast live on Paramount+ and Univision, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT). The winners will advance to the finals on March 23 against either Canada or Mexico, while the losers will compete for third place earlier the same day.