Panama's U-15 national team has finalised its 14-player squad for the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival. Head coach César Aguilar confirmed the list for the tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, which runs from October 24 to 30.

César Aguilar, the team's manager, settled on the group after a preparation period. "The coach of the Panama Men's U-15 National Team, César Aguilar, defined the list of 14 players who will face the first edition of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026," the coach stated. The delegation will depart for Azerbaijan on October 21, following final training sessions at the Mañanitas Country Club in Tocumen.

The Squad

The roster features two goalkeepers: Aldo Naranjo and Yandel Bodkin. The defensive line comprises six players: Jeliel Núñez, Ángel Padilla, Islan Duncan, Patrick Murillo and Joseph Rivas. The midfield includes Edgar Chavarría, Gustavo Ávila, Jonathan Vega and José González. The attack duties fall to Jacop Linares and Ronaldo Jiménez. All selected players were born in 2011 or 2012.

This tournament introduces an innovative 8v8 format, with playing halves of 20 minutes each. It will be held at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku, with the final scheduled for October 30 at the Crystal Hall. The competition, featuring around 1,000 matches across six matchdays, will be held annually starting in 2028.

The Path in Azerbaijan

Panama was drawn in Group Z alongside Chad, Kenya, Malta, Niger and North Macedonia. Their opening match will be against North Macedonia on October 24. After a group stage of four or five matches, the tournament moves into a second phase with six performance levels, with the Level A winner crowned champion.

The context for Panama's senior national teams shows a period of defensive resilience. The senior side is unbeaten in its last three matches, with draws against India, New Zealand and Ecuador. The latter, a 1-1 result on October 5, is part of the build-up towards the next challenge in World Cup qualifying, an away trip to Curaçao on November 9. In that draw with Ecuador, Panama's goals were scored by Josue Vergara and Amir Murillo from the penalty spot. The foundation of Panamanian football, now sending its U-15 prospects to a global stage, aims to solidify its international projection. The senior team's recent form reads three consecutive draws, with identical 1-1 scores against India, New Zealand and Ecuador, and their next competitive fixture is away to Curaçao on Saturday 9 November.

More detail at metrolibre.com