Preview: Panama vs England â Latest News, Lineups, Absences | 2026 World Cup (06/27/2026)
Preview, Team News, Head-to-Head and Probable Line-ups for Panama vs England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
At 22:00 BST on Saturday, 27 June, England face Panama at New York New Jersey Stadium in the final round of Group L fixtures at the 2026 World Cup. England sit top of the group on four points after beating Croatia 4-2 and drawing 0-0 with Ghana, while Panama have lost both of their matches and are already eliminated.
Thomas Tuchel’s side know that they are unlikely to exit the World Cup no matter what happens, but that victory would give them an excellent chance of winning the group. Panama, meanwhile, will be looking to bow out with a positive performance and avoid ending the tournament without a point or a goal.
There are plenty of potential permutations in Group L and each brings a different set of subsequent scenarios. England have a good chance of winning the group but could still finish second or even qualify in third, depending on various results.
Latest news: absences, form, team news
Panama have suffered narrow defeats in both of their matches so far, losing 1-0 to Ghana and 1-0 to Croatia. While Thomas Christiansen’s side have been competitive, they have struggled in front of goal and are yet to find the net in the tournament.
England’s campaign has been a mixed one so far. An impressive 4-2 victory over Croatia was followed by a frustrating goalless draw against Ghana, where Tuchel’s side dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances.
Panama
The Central Americans have little left to play for in terms of qualification, but they will be eager to go out on a high and maintain their pride. They will be without the injured Adalberto Carrasquilla, who was an unused sub in the first two games.
England
Tuchel is monitoring the fitness of several players ahead of Englandâs final group game and may choose to rest some players. Reece James has a hamstring complaint, while Declan Rice may need rested, but Bukayo Saka could start the game after his recent achilles problem has resulted in limited minutes so far.
Teams H2H: head-to-head stats
These nations have met only once before, when England recorded a comprehensive victory at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as the Three Lions ran out 6-1 winners in Nizhny Novgorod.
Previous meetings:
- 24/06/2018: England 6-1 Panama (World Cup 2018)
Predicted line-ups
Thomas Tuchel has indicated he will not be making wholesale changes for Englandâs final Group L game with the Three Lions keen to ensure they win the group. However, a few changes are expected, especially as the scheduling becomes tougher in the knockout stages.
| Position |  –PanamĂĄ |  –Inglaterra |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Orlando Mosquera | Jordan Pickford |
| Defenders |
|
|
| Midfielders |
|
|
| Forwards | José Fajardo | Harry Kane |
Tactical analysis: can England be the first team to score more than once against Panama?
Panama have generally been organised defensively during the tournament, but their inability to create chances has left them vulnerable whenever they concede first. Against England, they are likely to sit deep, stay compact and attempt to frustrate Tuchel’s side before looking for opportunities on the counter-attack.
England’s challenge will be to move the ball quicker than they did against Ghana. The Three Lions often looked predictable in that match and struggled to create space in the final third. With Panama expected to defend in numbers, England may need greater width and more direct running from players such as Saka to unlock the defence.
Key players to watch
With England expected to win, Harry Kane will be hoping he can add to his tally in his bid for the Golden Boot, while Panama will be hoping for more from Juårez winger José Luis Rodriguez.
José Luis Rodriguez (Panama
With Carrasquilla sidelined by the adductor injury that has kept him out throughout the tournament, Panama’s attacking responsibility increasingly falls on RodrĂguez. The winger has started both World Cup matches and is one of the side’s most direct outlets, capable of carrying the ball over distance and creating chances in transition. If Panama are to trouble England, RodrĂguez’s pace and willingness to run at defenders could be key.
Harry Kane (England)
Kane scored a hat trick when these two sides met in Russia in 2018, but Panama have been defending better at this edition of the tournament. Englandâs talisman will be hungry for more, however.
According to the latest 2026 World Cup odds, England are the clear and undeniable favourites, with their win probability ranging from around 67% to over 80% depending on the model. Both teams to score is rated surprisingly highly at almost 50% given Panama have yet to score at the tournament.
The most likely results if youâre going for a correct score prediction are 1-0 and 2-0 to England. That is in line with the expectations of under 3.5 goals total in the game, which is rated at over 67%.
Given the high likelihood of an England win, combination bets are likely to be popular for this fixture. If youâre looking at the goalscorers, meanwhile, Harry Kane is the favourite to score first and score anytime.
At BetBrothers, you can now check out our predictions to find the best betting opportunities for every match. So get ready to place your 2026 FIFA World Cup football bets with confidence.
