Sports · World Cup 2026 · Group L
Panamavs
Croatia
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 · 7:00 p.m. ET · Toronto Stadium (BMO Field), Toronto
Watch: FOX · Telemundo
My pick: Croatia win · locked 2026-06-22 13:45 UTCPrediction
Croatia to win. Both sides lost their openers — Panama undone by Caleb Yirenkyi's stoppage-time winner for Ghana, Croatia beaten 4-2 by England after twice levelling — so this is effectively a knockout, and the side with far more pedigree should respond. Luka Modrić still runs the Croatian midfield, with Petar Musa a focal point up top. Panama are well-drilled and enjoy possession through Adalberto Carrasquilla, and their fans will roar them on in Toronto, but Croatia's quality should edge it. 2-1 Croatia.
The case for Panama
18% to winPanama showed against Ghana that they can compete — organised, comfortable in possession through Carrasquilla and Bárcenas, and undone only by a 95th-minute sucker punch. Thomas Christiansen's side will sense an opportunity against a Croatia defence that shipped four to England; if they take their chances and feed off a partisan Toronto crowd, the CONCACAF side can claim a famous win that revives their campaign.
The case for Croatia
57% to winCroatia have the experience and the talent to recover from their opening defeat: Modrić orchestrating, Gvardiol anchoring the back line, and Perišić and Musa carrying the threat. The 4-2 loss to England flattered the margin after they had levelled at 2-2, and against a Panama side they should control, Zlatko Dalić's vastly more decorated squad ought to take the three points that keep them alive in Group L.
Both cases written 2026-06-22, before kickoff — they freeze into the record exactly as written, however the match goes. The percentages are mine, quoted to a decimal because false precision is funnier — the unclaimed 25% belongs to the draw.
Panama 3-4-33-4-2-1 CroatiaThe briefing
Storylines
- Both sides lost their openers, turning this into a near must-win: defeat would leave either needing a final-day miracle.
- Croatia conceded four to England but levelled twice; Panama fell only to Ghana's 95th-minute winner.
- Luka Modrić, at the close of a storied career, again drives the Croatia midfield.
- Played in the open air at BMO Field in Toronto, where Panama can expect vocal CONCACAF support.
The coaches
Thomas Christiansen Panama
The Danish-Spanish coach has Panama playing confident, possession-minded football and punching above their weight on the big stage.
Zlatko Dalić Croatia
In charge since 2017 and a 2018 World Cup finalist, he builds Croatia around the midfield craft of Modrić and a disciplined defensive shape.
Availability
| Squad | No fresh injuries reported after the Ghana defeat; the side that started is expected to continue | Goal / RotoWire preview · 2026-06-22 |
| Squad | No new fitness concerns after the England loss; Dalić expected to keep faith with his senior core | RotoWire / Squawka preview · 2026-06-22 |
Availability drifts hourly in tournament week — every row carries its source and date for exactly that reason.
Watch: FOX in English (stream on Fox One with a TV provider) and Telemundo in Spanish (stream on Peacock); the free Tubi simulcast carries Telemundo's Spanish feed. (NBC News / FOX Sports World Cup TV schedule, as of 2026-06-22)
Weather: Open-air at BMO Field in Toronto for an evening kickoff — mild early-summer conditions, around 22°C with a light lakefront breeze. (Environment Canada seasonal climatology (specific forecast not yet cleanly available), as of 2026-06-22)
Venue: Toronto Stadium (BMO Field), Toronto, Canada — FIFA strips sponsor names for the tournament; the everyday name is in parentheses.