World Cup 2026: Panama and Croatia seek first points in Toronto clash

Panama and Croatia will face off in a crucial Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 24 at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada. Both teams are looking for their first points after losing their opening fixtures, making this encounter vital for their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.

The match, scheduled to kick off at 4:00 Moscow time (00:00 UTC), will be officiated by referee Pierre Atcho from Gabon. In Russia, the game will be broadcast live by Kinopoisk and Match TV, while Championat will provide a live text commentary. The group stage runs from June 11 to 27, with the top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed sides progressing.

Panama suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Ghana in their opener, conceding the tournament's latest goal so far — a stoppage-time strike by Yirenkyi in the fifth minute of added time. Croatia, meanwhile, put up a fight against England but lost 4-2 after twice equalizing in the first half. The 'Vatreni' have lost three of their last four matches overall.

FIFA rankings place Panama at No. 34, one spot above Russia, while Croatia sits at No. 13. The two sides have never met before. Analysts favor Croatia, with predictions including a 2-1 victory for the European side. A conservative betting tip suggests Croatia will win outright, while a balanced pick combines Croatia not losing with over 2.5 total goals. A riskier option bets on both teams scoring, as seven of Panama's last ten matches and six of Croatia's recent ten have seen goals from both sides.