Panama v Croatia: 2026 World Cup Prediction

Alarm bells are starting to ring for Panama and Croatia, as both countries lost their opening matches in Group L of the 2026 World Cup. Panama lost 0–1 to Ghana in injury time, whilst Croatia went down 2–4 to England. The pressure is therefore already mounting, as a win is virtually essential to keep their hopes of a place in the next round alive. Another defeat would, in fact, significantly reduce their chances of a place among the last 32. Below you can read our Panama v Croatia prediction, including the best World Cup betting tips.

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Panama v Croatia preview

Croatia have emerged as a dangerous dark horse in recent tournaments. However, the squad is now getting on in years, whilst the new generation still needs time to develop. This became painfully clear in the opening match, in which England proved too strong, winning 4–2. Panama actually deserved more against Ghana, but were ultimately denied victory in injury time. Two resilient sides face off in a match where the pressure is high. On paper, Croatia have a slight advantage. Read more about Panama and Croatia below.

Current Form & Team News

Panama

Panama showed themselves to be a tough opponent against Ghana, but ultimately came away empty-handed after a bitter 1-0 defeat in injury time. Head coach Thomas Christiansen’s side played compactly and created several good chances through strikers José Fajardo and Édgar Bárcenas. Panama held out for a long time and were certainly no less committed than Ghana, but lacked sharpness in front of goal. The late goal has put them under immediate pressure, as dropping points again could prove fatal to their chances of progressing to the next round.

Croatia

Croatia had a difficult start to the 2026 World Cup, but did show resilience. They fell behind twice but managed to equalise on both occasions through goals from Baturina and Musa. Furthermore, a defeat against England is certainly no disgrace. Especially when you consider that Croatia has a population of barely five million. In the end, England proved too strong for them in the final half-hour. It was striking that the Balkan side were particularly vulnerable at the back. Will they keep things a bit tighter against Panama?

Head-to-Head

Panama and Croatia have never played an official international match against each other before. Their encounter in Group L of the 2026 World Cup will therefore be the very first match between the two nations.

Predicted line-ups

Panama (4-3-3):

Mosquera, Davis, Andrade, Harvey, Blackman, Carrasquilla, Escobar, Godoy, Diaz, Waterman, Rodriguez

Croatia (4-3-3):

Livakovic, Gvardiol, Vuskovic, Sutalo, Stanisic, Modric, Kramaric, Kovacic, Perisic, Budimir, Baturina

Panama v Croatia betting tips

Betting tip 1: Both teams to score – YES

Was England really that good against Croatia, or did the Croatians simply slip up defensively? We think the latter is particularly the case. Croatia still possess plenty of quality and find it relatively easy to score, but defensively the team looks vulnerable. That’s why we expect Panama to create chances too and to be capable of scoring a goal. Both teams to score – YES gives you odds of 1.98 at Oranje Palace.

Betting tip 2: Over 0.5 shots on target – Martin Baturina

One of Croatia’s key players, and also part of the new generation, is Martin Baturina. The Como midfielder made a fine impression against England and even scored a goal. We expect Croatia to have the upper hand against Panama, with the 23-year-old player taking at least one shot on target. If Martin Baturina has more than 0.5 shots on target, this will earn you odds of 1.88 at Oranje Palace.

Panama v Croatia Prediction

** Final score: Panama – Croatia 1–3 **
We believe that Panama’s fresh energy and pace could cause problems for the Croatian defence. We therefore expect Panama to find the net. However, we think that Croatia’s experience and individual quality will ultimately prove decisive. We are therefore predicting a 3–1 victory for Croatia in their match against Panama.