Panama's 'Red' starts in Nations League quarterfinals
Panama’s national football team, known as La Roja, already knows it will face a rival in the quarterfinals of the 2026-2027 CONCACAF Nations League. The regional body confirmed on Monday that the Panamanian side advanced directly to the knockout stage after finishing fourth in the Concacaf rankings, updated on July 20, 2026. Panama skipped the group stage and will await its opponent in the quarterfinals, a privilege shared only with Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
The official draw to set the groups for Leagues A, B, and C will take place this Thursday, July 23, from Miami, Florida, at 7:00 p.m. ET. The live stream will be available on Concacaf’s official YouTube channel and its broadcast partners. La Roja arrives with a clear target: repeat its strong showing from 2024-2025, when it reached the final before falling 2-1 to Mexico.
Why did Panama earn a direct quarterfinal spot?
Panama’s fourth-place ranking in the Concacaf standings earned it a bye into the quarterfinals. The system rewards the best-performing teams from the previous cycle, and La Roja closed its 2024-2025 Nations League campaign as runners-up. Its last result was a 0-2 loss to England on June 27, 2026, a match that kicked off a run of three straight defeats in its last five games (1 win, 1 draw, 3 losses).
The 2026-2027 Nations League will not only crown a regional champion but also serve as qualifying for the 2027 Gold Cup. League A will feature 16 teams split into two six-team groups. The top two from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face the four teams that started in this round: Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Panama.
La Roja’s path in the tournament
La Roja has shown steady improvement since the Nations League’s debut in 2019-2020. In its first two editions, it failed to reach the Final Four, but in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 it finished fourth. Its best run came in 2024-2025, when it reached the final before losing 2-1 to Mexico. That run, combined with its 2026 World Cup qualification, cemented Panama’s place among Concacaf’s elite.
Thursday’s draw will set the groups for the opening phase. League A teams will be split into six pots, with two teams per pot. The first team drawn from each pot will go to Group A, and the second to Group B. The group-stage matches will be played between September and October 2026, while the quarterfinals are scheduled for November of the same year.
What’s next for Panama?
La Roja will have a break until the group draw, but the coaching staff is already scouting potential opponents. With three straight losses, the focus will be on regaining confidence before facing the region’s top sides. The finals for all three leagues are set for March 2027, but the immediate goal is to advance in the 2027 Gold Cup, to which Panama has already secured a berth through its Nations League participation.
Panamanian fans are hoping the team can replicate its past performances. La Roja has the chance to write a new chapter in its history and cement its status as one of Concacaf’s strongest sides.
